A liquid rapid freezer is a device that freezes food in a short time using a liquid refrigerant that absorbs heat. In food applications, it excels at preserving “freshly prepared texture and flavor” and “just-harvested freshness,” which were difficult to maintain with conventional freezers.

Technican’s liquid rapid freezer “Tomin” uses liquid alcohol at -30°C as a refrigerant to instantly freeze food.

By achieving rapid freezing without damaging food cells, drip is reduced to approximately one-tenth of that produced by conventional freezing methods, and flavor and texture are barely affected after thawing. This allows households and restaurants to enjoy high-quality frozen foods.

It also supports vacuum packaging and various packaging formats, contributing to oxidation prevention and freshness preservation.

In recent years, liquid rapid freezers have been widely adopted in the food industry, enabling long-term storage of fresh ingredients and the handling of out-of-season products.

Because quality preservation becomes easier with this technology, businesses can provide consumers with high-quality frozen foods. Restaurants can also offer seasonal ingredients year-round, expanding menu options.

Technican’s “Tomin” is particularly versatile, being used for a wide range of foods including seafood, meat, vegetables, sweets, and even unpasteurized sake.

Liquid rapid freezers offer numerous benefits, including maintaining food quality and freshness, improving work efficiency, reducing food loss, and lowering running costs. Let’s examine these advantages one by one.

The greatest benefit of liquid rapid freezers is their ability to maintain food quality and freshness.

With conventional freezing methods, ice crystals form inside food, damaging cells. Liquid rapid freezing cools food so quickly that ice crystals remain small, protecting cell structures to the greatest extent possible. As a result, freshness and flavor are preserved even after thawing.

Even fish, which is difficult to preserve freshness, can retain its original taste when rapidly frozen and thawed.

Introducing liquid rapid freezers significantly improves work efficiency.

Conventional freezing methods require long freezing times, increasing the risk of quality deterioration. Rapid freezers complete freezing in a short time, allowing operations to proceed smoothly.

In commercial kitchens that need to freeze large volumes of food quickly, improved speed and efficiency lead directly to higher overall productivity.

Liquid rapid freezers are also effective in reducing food loss. Rapid freezing extends storage periods and reduces the amount of food that would otherwise be discarded.

This is especially useful for seasonal ingredients or foods purchased in large quantities. For example, freshly harvested vegetables and fruits can be frozen and used as needed, minimizing waste.

Liquid rapid freezers are also advantageous in terms of low running costs. Because freezing times are short, electricity consumption is reduced, lowering long-term operating costs.

Maintaining food quality also increases product value and contributes to higher sales. Introducing energy-efficient liquid rapid freezers can reduce expenses while enhancing competitiveness.

Many successful cases have emerged among food manufacturers, restaurants, and small to medium-sized businesses through the introduction of liquid rapid freezers. Below are three examples involving Technican’s “Tomin.”

Yamasato (Yamanashi Prefecture): Rapid Freezing of Soda Noodles

At the soba restaurant “Yamasato” in Yamanashi Prefecture, Tomin was introduced to preserve the freshly milled, freshly made, and freshly boiled taste of their noodles.

By rapidly freezing partially boiled soba, they achieved resistance to physical impact during distribution while shortening thawing time at home. Problems such as noodle brittleness seen with air-blast freezing were resolved, resulting in successful commercialization with preserved aroma and texture.

Issei Co.,Ltd.(Tokushima Prefecture): Development of Disaster-Relief Emergency Foods

Issei Co., Ltd. in Tokushima Prefecture uses Tomin to produce “recovery emergency foods” for disaster relief.

They developed frozen foods that can be eaten deliciously even after natural thawing, creating a rapid food supply system for disaster areas. Vacuum packaging ensures hygiene and allows food to be eaten without containers. During the Noto Peninsula earthquake, they successfully distributed 1,500 meals within one hour.

Matsudomaru(Kanagawa Prefecture): Preserving Freshness of Raw Shirasu

The shirasu fishing company “Matsudomaru” in Oiso Town, Kanagawa Prefecture, introduced Tomin to preserve the freshness of freshly caught raw shirasu.

After careful washing, the shirasu is vacuum-packed flat and rapidly frozen, achieving beautiful, translucent raw shirasu even after thawing. This solved efficiency and drip issues seen with conventional air-cooled freezers, enabling confident product sales.

When selecting a liquid rapid freezer, it is important to choose a model suited to your intended use and operations. Consider factors such as processing capacity, volume, number of units installed, and the robustness of support systems.

Capacity and processing performance are critical selection factors. Food manufacturers and large restaurants with high workloads require models with larger capacity and higher processing performance.

Technican offers two main models: “Tomin,” suitable for wholesalers, food processors, and producers with medium to large capacity needs, and “Tomin Mini,” a compact model for restaurants and e-commerce businesses.

Tomin models support freezing capacities ranging from 15–20 kg/h up to 600–650 kg/h, providing wide-ranging, large-capacity solutions.

The number of installations is another important indicator. As of March 2024, Tomin has exceeded 3,500 cumulative installations. This extensive track record demonstrates product reliability and performance.

Post-installation support is also a key consideration. Technican provides comprehensive support from pre-installation consultations to after-sales service. Regular maintenance and quick response to issues ensure long-term, worry-free use.

When choosing a liquid rapid freezer, it is essential to evaluate the manufacturer’s technical expertise and knowledge.

As a pioneer in liquid freezing technology, Technican has accumulated extensive know-how. Beyond supplying equipment, they provide guidance on pre-freezing preparation and thawing techniques, and conduct freezing tests to propose optimal methods.

Support for expanding sales channels is another important point. Technican supports sales expansion of products frozen with Tomin, including handling at its own store “TOMIN FROZEN” and sales support via Takashimaya Online and Amazon. From freezing technology introduction to product sales, Technican offers comprehensive business support.

Although introducing liquid rapid freezers involves certain costs, subsidy programs can help reduce initial expenses. Food manufacturers, restaurants, and SMEs are encouraged to take advantage of available subsidy programs.

Liquid rapid freezers are excellent technologies for maintaining food quality and freshness over long periods. Rapid freezing preserves nutritional value while reducing food loss and improving operational efficiency.

When selecting a liquid rapid freezer, consider capacity, processing performance, freezing know-how, and sales support systems. Choose a model that fits your application and budget to introduce optimal freezing technology for your operation.