Immediately after they are harvested, vegetables start to release heat and lose water. This natural process, also known as the respiration of plants, impacts the nutritional qualities of the vegetables. By the time they reach the shelf, after harvesting, quality control, transportation and handling, they have lost almost half of their original amount of nutrients. The most simple and effective solution to preserve the vegetables' qualities is to freeze them.

IQF vegetables have the same amount of nutrients as fresh vegetables and in some cases even more, studies have shown. Fresh vegetables produce enzymes that make them lose flavor, nutrients, and color right after harvesting, but this process can be halted by freezing. Freezing deactivates the enzymes and locks the nutrients inside the IQF vegetables, which allows them to keep their nutrients for a much longer period of time than fresh ones.

The IQF method is used all around the world for vegetables, but processors are always looking for solutions to retain all the nutrients of IQF vegetables, in order to satisfy the customers' growing expectations regarding food quality and food safety. One particular challenge that producers face is maintaining the separation of IQF vegetables, as they tend to stick together, forming blocks or lump formations, since they have large quantities of water. Another challenge is preserving the IQF vegetables' natural appearance, taste, shape, color, and texture. However, these challenges can be easily overcome by using a powerful freezing equipment.

Inside the OctoFrostTM IQF tunnel freezer, IQF vegetables maintain their original appearance, texture, shape and color, this being achieved by the unique bedplate configuration and the quick and controlled freezing process. Fragile vegetables, such as broccoli, asparagus or spinach, are easily damaged and require careful handling. The OctoFrostTM IQF tunnel freezer is built with several freezing zones, that allow precise control of the fan speed, which is adjusted according to each product's particularities. The bedplates are perforated, removable and made of food-grade plastic, which is an important feature because, compared to the usual steel belt found inside traditional IQF freezers, the IQF vegetables don't suffer freezer burns or belt marks and don't get stuck on the belt.

The unique and innovative features of the IQF tunnel freezer help create an optimal fluidization. This is achieved not only by controlling the fan speed, but also by allowing air to move through the perforations of the bedplates, pushing the products into the air and slowly making them move towards the freezer's outfeed. Additional features include the pulsator, the wave plate, and the bed vibrator, which help separate the IQF vegetables, so they look exactly as fresh ones, keeping their color, shape and texture intact. With the help of innovative technologies such as the OctoFrostTM IQF tunnel freezer, vegetable processors can now achieve top quality IQF vegetables, perfectly separated and which maintain their original color, appearance, shape, texture and, more importantly, nutrients.