In a world where everyone craves both nutrition and convenience, IQF fruits strike the perfect balance. Behind this food innovation lies not only its advanced freezing technique. But there’s also a promise to preserve natural goodness in its purest form. Shimla Hills, a leading IQF frozen fruits supplier worldwide, takes the spotlight when it comes to exporting premium IQF products to meet the global demands.
Continue reading to explore the IQF freezing process, its benefits, and the role of Shimla Hills in delivering the best quality IQF offerings across the globe.
Freezing Method Used in IQF
IQF (or Individual Quick Freezing) is an advanced technique where each fruit or vegetable piece is individually frozen. Unlike the conventional freezing technique, the IQF method prevents clumping of various fruit/vegetable pieces. This way, the latter process also maintains the original flavour, colour, and shape of the produce.
The IQF freezing method involves blasting of the produce with extremely cold air at high velocity – often at temperatures below -40°C. Due to this, small ice crystals form around individual fruit pieces without rupturing the cell walls. This process helps preserve the nutritional integrity and natural texture & flavour of a fruit/vegetable/ready-to-use ingredients.
Nutritional Benefits of IQF Fruits
Here are the three major advantages of IQF fruits compared to fresh fruits:
• Rich in Nutrients & Antioxidants:
One of the standout benefits of IQF frozen food is that it locks in its nutrients. The experts freeze fruits and vegetables at their peak ripeness. So, the IQF fruits and vegetables retain their essential nutrients—vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. This makes IQF produce better than fresh fruits, which begin to deteriorate with time.
• No Preservatives or Artificial Additives:
IQF frozen food is also free from preservatives and artificial additives. This makes them a healthier choice than preservative-loaded products available in the market.
• Year-round Availability:
With up to 24 months shelf-life, IQF products are great for clean-label food production. Plus, food companies can enjoy their benefits throughout the year, despite the season.
Top IQF Fruits Offered by Shimla Hills
Being a renowned name in agri-processing, Shimla Hills provides a wide range of premium IQF food offerings worldwide.
Our IQF fruit portfolio includes:
- IQF Mango (Alphonso & Totapuri) Dices/Halves/Chunks
- IQF Banana Rings
- IQF Papaya Dices/Chunks
- IQF Pineapple Chunks
- IQF Guava (Pink & White) Dices/Chunks
- IQF Muskmelon Balls
Our IQF vegetable Portfolio:
Our IQF vegetable offerings include carrots, green peas, sweet corn, and mixed vegetables. Every batch undergoes strict quality testing at each step of the production process to align with the highest international food safety and hygiene standards.
Applications of IQF Fruits in the Food Industry
IQF food offerings are widely used in various food and beverage applications, such as:
- Smoothies and yogurts
- Ready meals and breakfast cereals
- Bakery products and desserts
- Baby food
- Juices
- Cocktails
- HORECA/Foodservice
- Catering services
Since IQF products are ready-to-use, they reduce preparation time while ensuring consistency in various recipes.
Why Choose Shimla Hills for IQF Fruits?
Being a reliable name among IQF vegetable and fruit suppliers, Shimla Hills adheres to stringent safety standards to deliver world-class IQF products. Following the globally accepted freezing and hygiene protocols, our processing unit ensures every IQF frozen fruits’ batch meets the top-notch export quality.
Furthermore, we have a strong sourcing network – particularly in Indian tropical regions. This guarantees we get nothing but the best raw material for our IQF offerings.
Global Demand & Market Trends for IQF Fruits
With increasing consumer demand for healthy, convenient, and clean-label foods, demand for IQF frozen fruits and veggies is rapidly increasing. Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe, and the Gulf Regions are witnessing significant growth in the frozen food sector.
From IQF mango dices and banana rings to IQF sweet corn and mixed vegetables, the market is significantly expanding. This is due to the high demand for IQF offerings for preparing baked goods, beverages, and other functional foods.
With increasing awareness about food safety and nutritional preservation, the future of IQF delights looks promising. And, Shimla Hills leads the way with its commitment to quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction.
FAQ's
1. How is IQF different from regular freezing?
Unlike the regular freezing technique that clumps food items together, IQF processing freezes each fruit piece individually. This helps in maintaining their natural shape, flavour, and texture while preventing sticking or clumping. Hence, IQF food ingredients are easier to use straight from a freezer.
2. Can we use IQF frozen fruits straight from the freezer?
Yes, IQF frozen fruits are pre-washed, pre-cut, and all ready to use. So, these are convenient to use directly from the freezer. It needs no thawing for most recipes, making them perfect for baked goods, desserts, smoothies, and more.
3. Are nutrients lost during the IQF process?
No, IQF frozen fruits retain more nutrients compared to fresh fruits that are stored for weeks/days. Due to the quick-freezing technique, food experts lock in essential antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins. Hence, it’s easier to preserve the natural goodness of a fruit without any preservatives.
