IQF fruit sales have experienced a huge growth in 2017 and are expected to increase even more in the following years. due to these products' convenience and their all year long availability. Nowadays, the most in demand IQF fruit on the market are cherries, strawberries, apples, peaches, papaya, raspberries, cranberries, and blueberries.

20 years ago, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the US concluded that IQF fruit present the same nutritional advantages as fresh fruit. For example, berries charted first in a top of 40 tested foods, making them the best antioxidants source, in both forms: fresh and IQF. However, since the FDA's conclusions, other tests have shown that some IQF fruit are even better than fresh fruit.

The reason why IQF fruit are better than fresh ones is the fact that they contain a higher amount of vitamins and antioxidants. Doctors recommend a diet that is rich in antioxidants, in order to prevent the formation of cancerous cells.

Fresh fruit are harvested in the early stage of their maturity, in order to avoid their spoiling during storage and shipping. This means that their nutritional value hasn't reached its peak yet. On the other hand, IQF fruit are harvested at the peak of their freshness, and immediately frozen afterward. This way, their nutritional value lasts longer and they resist long storage periods in contrast to that of fresh fruit.

How the OctoFrostTM IQF tunnel freezer keeps IQF fruit perfectly preserved

The OctoFrostTM IQF tunnel freezer uses advanced IQF technology in order to preserve all qualities of the fruit, even the most delicate and fragile ones, such as berries. IQF stands for Individually Quick Frozen . This method ensures perfect separation of each fruit, preventing block and lump formation.

If you are curious enough to read the label of IQF fruit, you will find out that they only contain one product: the fruit itself, with no added sugar, additives, or preservatives.

Another benefit of the IQF technology developed by OctoFrost is that it makes fruit available all year round, even when fresh fruit are out of season. Moreover, IQF fruit can be purchased in bulk packages, which are more economical and present no risk that aging will spoil the fruit.

IQF fruit preserve their natural appearance and taste due to the OctoFrostTM IQF tunnel freezer

The OctoFrostTM IQF tunnel freezer is equipped with several freezing zones, that control circulating, bubbling, and fixed bed fluidization. This way, the surface of the IQF fruit is quickly frozen, in order to avoid dehydration and lump formation. The aerodynamics and the movement of the bedplates ensure that the products' surface will have no damage on the corners and no belt marks.

Depending on the IQF fruit's ripeness, the additional features of the wave plate, pulsator, and bed vibrator will separate the products. This is what makes the OctoFrostTM IQF tunnel freezer the optimal solution for preserving the texture, shape, smell, texture, and taste of IQF fruit.