Strawberry fruit tissue is soft and has a high water content, making it highly susceptible to damage and spoilage after harvesting. Its very short shelf life presents significant challenges for storage, transportation, and sales. However, the strawberry IQF processing line utilizes advanced quick-freezing technology to rapidly lower the core temperature of strawberries to below -18℃ in a very short time. This causes the water in the strawberries to quickly form small, uniform ice crystals, thus preserving the strawberries’ original color and shape.

Frozen Strawberries Processing Steps:

IQF processing lines typically employ a continuous, automated design to ensure stable product quality and high processing efficiency. The main processing steps include:

1. Washing

Bubble cleaning is commonly used, which not only reduces damage to the strawberries but also effectively removes dirt, sand, and other impurities from the surface of the strawberries.

2. Air Drying

The residual moisture on the surface of the strawberries will form large ice crystals during the freezing process, affecting the appearance and quality of the finished product. Therefore, a low-temperature, high-airflow method is used to quickly dry the surface of the strawberries without affecting the internal moisture and structure of the strawberry.

3. Freezing

By controlling the freezing temperature, air speed, and processing time, strawberries can be quickly frozen to form small, uniform ice crystals. This effectively reduces cell damage and preserves the original texture and nutritional value of the strawberries.

Frozen Strawberry Machine:

In the entire strawberry IQF processing line, the frozen machine is a key piece of line, and its performance directly affects the quality, yield, and energy consumption of the frozen strawberries.

Common frozen strawberry machines mostly adopt fluidized bed or tunnel-type designs, suitable for the individual freezing of granular and block-shaped fruits. The equipment uses forced cold air circulation to keep the strawberries in a semi-suspended or evenly tumbling state during the conveying process, ensuring that each strawberry is frozen quickly and uniformly. The freezing speed is fast, allowing the core temperature of the strawberries to be reduced to the required range in a short time.

Uses of Frozen Strawberries:

Frozen strawberries are widely used in various food processing and consumption scenarios, such as:

Baking industry: Cakes, bread, and dessert ingredients.
Beverage industry: Milkshakes, smoothies, fruit teas, and slushies.
Dairy industry: Yogurt, ice cream, and dairy drinks.

Based on our clients’ specific strawberry characteristics, production capacity requirements, and finished product standards, we can provide a one-stop solution for frozen strawberry making, from equipment selection to complete IQF strawberry processing line layout, helping our clients achieve long-term and stable development in the frozen fruit industry.