Uniquely designed plate belt freezer from Linde increases yield without compromising quality

When it comes to its cryogenic freezing technology, the goal of industrial gas provider and frozen food processing innovator Linde is simple: maintain the quality of the product.

“As a global leader in industrial gases, technologies, and engineering services, Linde is committed to developing efficient and sustainable freezing and chilling equipment systems that can continuously evolve with the industries it's serving,” said Chris Johnson, Linde director of business development – food.

Among Linde’s latest innovations is its CRYOLINE PB plate belt tunnel freezer for seafood, which reduces yield losses by rapidly crust-freezing the product while maintaining its cellular integrity and producing minimal to no markings.

“We know seafood is an inherently high-value product, and even heat removal is crucial to preserving its quality and integrity,” Johnson said. “Customers don’t want to be running product through a freezer and losing some of the product because it’s stuck to the belt.”

According to Linde, the plate belt tunnel freezer is equipped with a uniquely engineered solid stainless-steel segmented conveyor belt designed to quickly freeze the bottom of difficult-to-handle products like raw or marinated proteins, sauced foods, and semi-liquid items.

“This creates a semi-solid surface for just a moment while the product is freezing, reducing moisture loss and ensuring the product does not adhere to the plate belt when it is being moved to a spiral or other freezer or into frozen storage,” Johnson added.

Additionally, adjustable high-speed internal fans and precise gas injection optimize the flow and use of nitrogen, rapidly crusting the top of the product. This minimizes moisture loss and ensures even firming, according to Linde.

These features “open the door for many new possibilities when it comes to freezing seafood,” the company said. Unlike traditional tunnel freezers with a chain-link belt, the CRYOLINE PB plate belt tunnel freezer’s cryogenic temperatures and solid conveyor belt preserve the shape and texture of delicate seafood.

According to Johnson, not only is the CRYOLINE PB plate belt tunnel freezer faster than other methods like brine freezing and cold air freezing, but it also maintains the quality of the product.

“Seafood that’s frequently difficult to put through a freezer like scallops, fish fillets, and shrimp can be quickly and evenly frozen with no cellular disruption and no mesh markings,” Johnson said. “Even wet and sticky products’ moisture is locked in, preserving the rigidity of the product, creating minimal losses in downstream processing steps, improving changeover time, and greatly reducing sanitation issues.”

Powered by liquid nitrogen, the company said the CRYOLINE PB plate belt tunnel freezer’s high capacity and energy-efficient design also minimize operating costs and plant floor space usage.

Its energy-efficient design makes the CRYOLINE PB plate belt tunnel freezer a great fit for the seasonal nature of seafood products. The freezer can also store up to 20 different recipes, allowing operators to seamlessly switch between products.

Over time, the company has refined techniques to optimize the CRYOLINE PB plate belt’s dwell times – the duration products remain in the freezer – enabling the system to freeze more products within the same time frame.

“The CRYOLINE PB plate belt freezer provides an innovative and efficient way to preserve the quality of high-value products through rapid crust freezing without cellular disruption,” said Johnson. “Its solid stainless-steel, segmented conveyor belt ensures high yield and the flexibility to turn the machine on and off as needed adds to both efficiency and cost savings."

For more details on the CRYOLINE PB plate belt tunnel display and other Linde systems, visit the company at Seafood Processing North America from 16 to 18 March 2025, at Booth #1465 in the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.