Chilling with cryogenics

BOC has been a pioneer in food freezing and chilling for over 50 years. In 1971, it developed a process known as bottom injection, where cryogens were injected directly into mixers from the bottom. This story was first published in Food & Drink Business May/June 2020.

This process has helped food processing companies overcome major challenges for decades.

Today BOC is again changing the market with LIXshooter nozzles and ACCU-CHILL BI.

These systems are patented cryogenic chilling solutions that safely use either liquid carbon dioxide or liquid nitrogen as the refrigerant without any damage to the equipment.

It rapidly reduces the temperature to the desired level and allows accurate control over the ever-changing production variables.

With LIXshooter nozzles and the ACCU-CHILL BI system the temperature of food products can be controlled with minimal variations in the desired final temperature. They are ideal for chilling meat, poultry, seafood, soups, sauces and more.

Also, they have been able to provide faster in-process chilling, allowing for an increase in production, higher processing efficiency, and lower costs.

Carbon dioxide has been the cooling medium of choice in the past, however the introduction of the LIXshooter nozzle has given producers the opportunity to instead use liquid nitrogen, providing customers with an additional choice in cooling medium. 

The nozzle provides a greater level of hygiene because the patented design encompasses a self-sealing nozzle, which reduces cross contamination between batches.

BOC engineers can design a system that fits a customer’s mixer, allowing for faster chill times, greater levels of hygiene, fewer blocked nozzles, and improved process control.

BOC has successfully commissioned 18 mixers in Australia with liquid nitrogen, six of which have installed the LIXshooter nozzles.

For BOC, this means its customers can produce their product lines with greater levels of confidence.