What is Hardening?
Hardening is a process used in ice cream and similar food product manufacturing. It is the process of completely hardening a product to its core after the pre-freezing (soft freezing) stage. Hardening tunnels or hardening rooms are specialized refrigeration equipment used for this purpose.
How Does the Hardening Process Work?
In ice cream production: mixing → pasteurization → homogenization → aging → freezing (pre-freezing to -5°C to -7°C) → shaping/packaging → hardening (-25°C to -40°C) → cold storage (-18°C).
During hardening, high-velocity air circulation ensures all sections of the product harden homogeneously.
Hardening Applications
- Stick ice cream, cone ice cream, cup ice cream, sandwich ice cream
- Chocolate-coated ice cream
- Frozen cakes and pastries
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