From frozen to final mix in one machine
GEA mixers equipped with ColdSteam technology are designed to optimize the tempering of fully frozen raw material and prepare it for forming into premium quality products. The technology is fast, reducing tempering time down to minutes instead of hours, and is carried out in the same machine as high performance mixing, so only a single unit is required.

The GEA ColdSteam M defrosting technology provides fast tempering of fully frozen raw material to create a homogenous mix for formed products. The technology rapidly defrosts the frozen material by delivering steam under vacuum conditions, which effectively then uses the thermal energy, rather than heat itself, to defrost. Transferring thermal heat by means of 33 °C steam ("cold steam") means that materials are defrosted within minutes, without scalding or protein denaturation.

Main applications for ColdSteam M industrial defrosting technology include the tempering of fully frozen raw material ready for forming into premium quality products such as fish burgers, vegetable and meat replacement products and chicken nuggets.
High-speed tempering
Tempering in a controlled environment
Defrosting and mixing in one unit

GEA ColdSteam defrosting technology provides fast tempering to create a homogenous mix for formed products. The method, which is ideal for defrosting pre-ground frozen meat, exploits the phenomenon that water boils at a lower temperature in a vacuum. The injected steam condenses on the cold meat block, efficiently transferring thermal energy and reducing defrosting time from hours to minutes. The low steam temperature in the vacuum (approx 33°C, instead of above 100°C) means that scalding or protein denaturation is avoided.
| ColdSteam M 1000 for ProMix | ColdSteam M 1500 for ProMix | ColdSteam M 2500 for ProMix | ColdSteam M 3500 for UniMix | ColdSteam M 5000 for UniMix | |
| Volume | 1400 l | 1780 l | 2500 l | 3500 l | 5000 l |
| Mixing power (variable speed control) | 11 (2x5,5) | 15 (2x7,5) | 22 (2x11) | 30 (2x15) | 37 (2x18,5) |

Le nouveau Centre d’application et de technologie (ATC) GEA de Sarstedt, au sud de Hanovre, n’est ni un showroom ni un ersatz de laboratoire. C’est un lieu conçu pour les essais, la collecte de données et les décisions précoces. Un endroit où l’on détermine si un concept biologique peut devenir un procédé industriel robuste. Cette étape est plus importante qu’il n’y paraît.

Si le thermoformage joue depuis longtemps un rôle central dans le domaine de l'emballage alimentaire, il doit aujourd'hui affronter un tournant majeur. À une époque comme la nôtre où les réglementations se durcissent, où les matériaux évoluent et où les coûts augmentent, il ne suffit plus que les lignes de conditionnement FFS ou <i>Form-Fill-Seal</i> (Former-Remplir-Sceller) fonctionnent de manière fiable : elles sont désormais déterminantes pour garantir la fraîcheur des denrées, un prix accessible et la recyclabilité. Examinez de plus près les grandes tendances qui dans le domaine du thermoformage façonnent le secteur de l'emballage et de la distribution alimentaires.