Faster freezing: Shock freezing allows extremely low temperatures that cause seafood to freeze much faster and more efficiently than traditional methods, increasing quality and freshness. Sensory freshness: The extremely low temperatures used during shock freezing preserve the sensory freshness of the seafood, including colour, texture and flavour. Maximum quality: Rapid freezing at ultra-low temperatures prevents the formation of large ice crystals, which keeps the cell structure of the seafood intact and preserves its quality. Preservation of vitamins and nutrients: The rapid freezing process during shock freezing minimizes the degradation of vitamins and nutrients in the seafood, resulting in a more nutritionally valuable product. -
Prevent freezer burn: The extremely low temperatures and rapid freezing reduce the risk of freezer burn by minimizing the formation of ice crystals on the surface of the seafood. -
Extended shelf life: The combination of rapid freezing and minimizing quality losses keeps seafood fresh and shelf-stable for longer, improving storage and availability.
Shock freezing of seafood
How do brine freezing and cryogenic freezing work?
The way in which fish and seafood are frozen has a significant influence on the quality, texture and taste of the products. Innovative freezing methods such as brine freezing or cryogenic freezing guarantee the best quality and taste, as if freshly caught from the sea. Here you can find out how these methods are practiced, what advantages shock-frozen products have and how they improve your seafood enjoyment.
What is brine freezing?
Brine freezing is a contact freezing process and refers to freezing using salt water or a salt solution. If water contains salt, e.g. sodium chloride or other salts are added and saturated, the freezing point is below the freezing point of pure water, namely -22°C. This means that salty water only freezes at lower temperatures. This means that salty water only freezes at lower temperatures and can therefore act as ‘liquid ice’ as a better contact refrigerant, as the food is completely enclosed.
This technology is often used in the advanced food industry. When freezing food, a salt solution is often used in which the products are immersed in order to achieve faster and more even freezing.
Brine-freezing for seafood
Seafood, especially shrimp, is subject to biological and biochemical spoilage, which is mainly caused by microorganisms. These changes are halted at temperatures below -18 °C.
Brine freezing plays an important role in the context of seafood freezing and blast freezing, especially when it comes to preserving product quality. Brine freezing uses a salt solution as a cooling medium to lower the temperature more quickly while minimising the formation of ice crystals within the food cells.
Compared to cryogenic freezing, which uses expensive refrigerants such as liquid nitrogen or carbon dioxide, brine freezing is more cost-effective. Brine freezing can also be more energy efficient as the salt solution can be continuously recycled and reused, reducing energy consumption and promoting sustainability.
The general rule for freezing techniques is: the faster the freezing, the smaller the ice crystals and the better the quality of the seafoodLarge ice crystals can break through the cell walls and affect the texture and flavour of the seafood. The preservation of the cell structure by small ice crystals means that the fish has a better texture and a fresher flavour after defrosting. This is referred to as sensory freshness.
Brine-freezing of the Bavarian shrimp
One of the most common methods is freezing seafood in cold air. This method has previously been used for our Bavarian shrimp. With the introduction and change to freezing in an aqueous solution of salt and sugar at a temperature of around -22°C, the freezing process can be accelerated fourfold.
The shock freezing process can give the shrimp a thin, white layer of ice on the outside. This protects and preserves it. When thawed, the layer disappears again.
The new method guarantees even better preservation of freshness and at the same time improves product quality. The shrimp is also easier to peel.
What is cryogenic freezing?
Cryogenic freezing is a state-of-the-art but very costly technique for preserving food based on extremely low temperatures. In this process, the food is quickly brought to temperatures well below freezing, often by using liquid nitrogen or other cryogens. Typically, temperatures of around -80°C to -196°C are reached. The freezing time can vary depending on the food and application, but is often only a few minutes.
Cryogenic freezing of seafood
Cryogenic freezing of seafood sets a high standard in terms of the quality of the frozen goods. The precise control of the extremely low temperatures ensures uniform and rapid freezing, which prevents the formation of large ice crystals and thus keeps the cell structure of the seafood intact. This method guarantees particularly low moisture loss, minimal color loss and optimal quality retention, which preserves the freshness and consistency as best as possible.
In addition, cryogenic freezing is subject to strict quality standards and controls to ensure that only the highest quality products reach the market. This combination of advanced technology and strict standards makes cryogenically frozen seafood the preferred choice for discerning consumers and the food industry alike.
The advantages of shock freezing at a glance
How do I recognize products that have been shock frozen?
At HONEST CATCH, you can recognize shock-frozen fish and seafood by our badge, which you can find under the title on the respective product pages. For the marked products, either the cryogenic or brine freezing method is used to preserve your seafood as best as possible.
As seafood innovators, we are always striving to expand our range to include flash-frozen products and thus guarantee you a special taste experience. Our current selection of flash-frozen seafood includes our Bavarian shrimp and the Obsiblue South Sea shrimp , both of which are preserved using the brine freezing process, as well as many other cryogenically frozen products. Discover delicious lobster, hiramasa or hake and convince yourself of the special quality
Flash-frozen specialties
MEER-Rabatt
Bavarian shrimp, frozen
with head & shell
CHF 44.99*
CHF 89.98 /kg
Breton hake fillet
with skin
from CHF 7.99*
Obsiblue southern sea shrimp
with head & shell
from CHF 19.99*
Hamachi Yellowtail Kingfish Fillet
with skin
from CHF 22.99*
European lobster
tail & claws meat, raw
from CHF 42.99*
Breton sole
ready to cook
CHF 34.99*
CHF 87.48 /kg
Oyster, open in half shell
with shell
CHF 11.99*
CHF 34.26 /kg
Canadian lobster, halved
with head, Shell & scissors
CHF 24.99*
CHF 156.19 /kg
Breton monkfish fillet
from CHF 19.99*
Breton sardine
ready to cook
from CHF 8.99*
Hamachi Yellowtail Kingfish Side
with skin & bones
from CHF 58.70*
European lobster tail
in shell
from CHF 27.99*
European lobster tail, halved
in shell
CHF 28.99*
CHF 263.55 /kg
European lobster meat
broken meat
CHF 59.99*
CHF 239.96 /kg
MEER-Rabatt
Canadian lobster
tail & claws meat, raw
from CHF 34.99*
MEER-Rabatt
Canadian lobster meat
broken meat
CHF 44.99*
CHF 179.96 /kg
Langoustine meat
tail meat, raw
from CHF 56.99*
MEER-Rabatt
Pollack, fillet
with skin
CHF 7.99*
CHF 57.07 /kg
Tuna Saku Block
Sashimi quality
CHF 22.99*
CHF 114.95 /kg
MEER-Rabatt
Yellowfin tuna steak
Sashimi quality
from CHF 17.99*
FAQs about shock freezing
How does shock freezing differ from conventional freezing?
In contrast to slow freezing in a freezer, shock freezing occurs much faster and at lower temperatures, which preserves quality better.
Are there any disadvantages to shock freezing?
Shock freezing itself has no disadvantages as long as the products are stored correctly afterwards. However, the equipment for this process is expensive to purchase.
Is flash-frozen seafood more expensive than normally frozen goods?
Yes, due to the more complex process and better quality, flash-frozen seafood is usually a bit more expensive than conventional frozen products.
