Meat, poultry and seafood currently packed with water ice or dry ice in boxes can be chilled more safely and efficiently when using the DRI PACK® automated box chilling system from Linde LLC which uses the chilling power of carbon dioxide (CO2) snow.

Designed and built to USDA requirements, the DRI PACK chilling system is ideal for meat packing plants as well as poultry and seafood operations, and is intended for use with new or existing packaging operations. The automated chilling system quickly fills boxes (up to about 24 inches wide) with CO2 snow as they travel along a conveyor.

Benefits-at-a-Glance

• Automated system reduces labor costs
• Provides for more accurate and consistent use of CO2
• Gently distributes CO2 snow in open boxes or totes
• Adapts to most conveyor lines

With the DRI PACK system, extremely cold CO2 snow quickly chills the food product, locking in moisture and preserving freshness and quality. A controlled flow of CO2 snow is directed into containers or boxes at temperatures of negative 109.3° F (minus 78.5° C). Once in the container, the CO2 snow does not melt; rather, through the process of sublimation, the CO2 provides the refrigeration to chill food -- so there is never any liquid.

Safety Advantages

The automated box chilling system offers safety advantages over chilling with water ice or dry ice pellets. Handling bagged ice or constantly shoveling water ice or CO2 pellets can lead to motion injuries. In addition, using CO2 pellets in totes or other open containers in packing plants poses a hazard since CO2 is an odorless asphyxiant. The DRI PACK system eliminates the storage and physical handling of ice, and the equipment includes a shroud around the chute to vent waste gases to the outside.

Packing fresh fish, shellfish or other foods with ice by hand is inherently slow and labor intensive, and means variable chilling results. Additionally, ice made from water can melt in transit, causing handling issues and less-than-desirable product quality.

“With fish and seafood products retailing for $10 to $20 a pound or more, preserving the product’s high-quality appearance, taste, and texture becomes extremely important,” said Ed Cordiano, Linde program manager, prepared foods and seafood

The DRI PACK automated chilling system is part of a range of CO2 snow generating equipment from Linde that also includes: Hooded snow generators, CO2 snow horns, and the ACCU-CHILL Combo Chiller that features an automated loading system for more accurate and consistent chilling of meat products packed and shipped in bulk combo bins.

The Linde food team performs in-plant assessments to identify current cost-to-chill and works with processors to develop optimal process solutions. For more information, visit: www.lindefood.com, or call: 800-755-9277.

Linde LLC supports the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and the advancement of food safety. Linde has a Food Safety Management System in place for all bulk carbon dioxide (CO2) plants and air separation facilities supplying the food & beverage industry in North America. In June 2012, Linde became the first supplier to certify all of its CO2 plants to a benchmarked GFSI scheme, FSSC 22000 (Food Safety System Certification).