IQF — Individually Quick Frozen
This is basically a flash freezing process within minutes versus hours long of freezing same product.
The benefits of flash freezing are it prevents large ice crystals from forming on the product, which can destroy the outer skin cells. Short freezing allows the product to maintain its smell, taste, color, and shape far beyond the defrosting stage. This process also gives the consumer the option to defrost exactly needed portion at the time.
There are varieties on how manufacturers utilize the freezing technique to preserve products. These include blast freezing, plate freezing, belt-tunnel freezing, fluidized-bed freezing, dehydrofreezing, and cryogenic freezing. Many factors with products help determine the best possible freezing solution. The choice depends on the kind of vegetable and/or seafood that has to be frozen, the quality of end product desired, whether or not you’re going to sell the product as bulk or as individuals, and capital limitations.