GEA ColdSteam T

Prevent driploss, save time and improve food safety

By industrial defrosting in a sealed environment, using steam under a near vacuum, frozen products can be defrosted quickly and safely, without compromising on product quality and overall yield. The system eliminates the risk of contamination and gives well-controlled defrosting, resulting in better retention of meat juices to help maintain yield during further processing. Food safety risks are negligible as a 95% vacuum is an inhospitable environment for bacteria and microbiological growth.

GEA ColdSteam T is available in several capacities. It's designed for the tempering and defrosting of most meat products including chicken breast fillets, bone-in poultry parts, pork spare ribs and beef topside.

Specifications

When steam is introduced into the sealed tumbler, it immediately condenses on the frozen meat. Condensing steam is a highly efficient way to transfer thermal energy, so the meat defrosts very quickly. Steam contains six times more energy than boiling water. ColdSteam uses simple physics: at a normal atmospheric pressure, water boils at 100°C (212°F); in a 95% vacuum (50 bar), the boiling point is reduced to 33°C (91.4°F). This avoids scalding the meat and still defrosts up to 70% quicker.

During conventional defrosting, using static, water-based or microwave methods, drip appears during the de-crystallization phase. This can be around 10%, or even higher, meaning 10kg of a 100kg frozen batch literally runs down the drain. The ColdSteam process avoids this as the liquids released from the product during defrosting are carefully massaged back into the meat. This retention of liquid, with its soluble proteins, means the defrosted meat almost replicates a fresh product in terms of appearance and texture, as its physical properties are retained. Regardless of product temperature, batch size or meat cut, a correctly set tumbler can deliver exemplary results every time.

After defrosting, the meat can be massaged or marinated in the same machine. This reduces handling and helps to speed up the processing time. The slow rotation of the drum creates a gentle meat-on-meat massaging action that doesn't damage sensitive products. A more aggressive movement can be used if a tenderizing action is required.