A major UK soup company has boosted processing capacity by investing in a custom built, continuous chilling system from British equipment manufacturer Starfrost.

Starfrost designed and installed a bespoke double drum spiral system at the soup processor’s production facility in the East Midlands. The fully automated in-line Helix Spiral Chiller has enabled the soup firm to increase capacity to meet growing demand from major supermarkets.

The soup processor was looking to replace a manual blast chiller with a high capacity in-line system to increase production of fresh soup in pots.  Starfrost’s ability to custom design, build, install and commission a flexible, energy efficient chilling system within a short timescale was key to securing the contract.

Starfrost’s engineering team custom designed a Double Drum Helix Spiral Chiller with a processing capacity of 2,700 kg/hr.  The Helix Spiral features a 26inch wide plastic conveyor belt and two rotating stainless steel drums, each with 14 spiraling tiers.

The bespoke Helix Spiral system is designed to process soup in 600g pots, at a rate of 75 pots per minute.  The product enters the chiller at a temperature of +85 degrees Celsius.  Each individual pot of soup is then chilled down to under +5 degrees Celsius.

Starfrost Sales Director Robert Long says: “Our in-line Helix Spiral Chiller has streamlined soup production by linking the filling line to the packing area.  It has enabled the processor to boost capacity to meet customer demand, whilst increasing efficiency by making significant energy and operational cost savings.”

Starfrost’s Helix Spiral is suitable for freezing and chilling food that requires medium to long retention times, such as ready meals, poultry, pizza, potato products, fish, desserts, bakery products and ice-cream. 

The system is available in site built and compact assembled format, with single drum, double drum and twin belt designs.  Available with a range of belt sizes and tier heights, it can process from 500kg/hr, to capacities over 6,000kg/hr.

The Helix Spiral Freezer/Chiller is designed with low maintenance, ease of hygiene and operational efficiency in mind.  Its unique vertical or horizontal air circulation system ensures quick and even chilling or freezing without excessive air speeds that can damage delicate products, while still achieving long running times between defrosts.