Cryogenic gas impingement technology was originally developed for hamburger patties, but it is finding a niche in marinated poultry, says Mark DiMaggio, head of food and beverage for Linde North America, New Providence, N.J. A nitrogen impingement freezer reduces dehydration and marinade losses by two or three times vs. conventional cryogenic freezers to maximize product weight and increase yield.

The proprietary design provides high freezing capacity per square foot of floor space, typically 60 percent less than cryogenic tunnel freezers. With the freezer, liquid nitrogen is injected from multiple directions to freeze products more evenly, beginning with an instant crust freeze.

According to DiMaggio, Linde's new design replaces the uneven heat transfer rate of conventional freezing equipment with continuous, consistent, even freezing across and along the belt and from both the top and bottom surfaces.