Fluidized bed freezing is an IQF method in which a strong upward airstream suspends small product pieces individually in cold air so each piece freezes separately, producing free-flowing frozen fruit or vegetables with minimal clumping.
In trade practice
The technology is best suited to small, roughly uniform pieces such as whole berries, peas and diced vegetables; larger or irregular pieces may not fluidise correctly and require spiral or air-blast freezers instead. Processors control belt speed, air velocity and temperature to achieve the target freezing rate for each product. Buyers specifying IQF product for retail or food-manufacturing use often ask suppliers to confirm the freezing method, as fluidized bed output typically meets free-flowing requirements more reliably than other IQF formats.
In a specification
A specification may state that product must be frozen using a fluidized bed or equivalent IQF method capable of producing individually separated pieces, with free-flowing character confirmed at incoming inspection.