CO2 or liquid nitrogen: What should bakers choose for cryogenic freezing?

By Kacey Culliney

- Last updated on GMT

Bakers should choose cryogenic agents based on geography, says Praxair
Bakers should choose cryogenic agents based on geography, says Praxair

Related tags Liquid nitrogen Cryopreservation Cryogenics Praxair

While CO2 and liquid nitrogen have some differences as freezing agents, both work well on baked goods and geographic availability should be the main decider, Praxair says.

Cryogenic freezing is a fast process that can freeze a baked good product in under ten minutes using either CO2 or liquid nitrogen at temperatures as low as -320⁰F.

But what cryogen should bakers choose? Industrial gas specialist Praxar said the decision should be based on geography.

“There is a price difference and that is a driver - that’s why geography is important – it has a lot to do with distance from the source,”​ said Frank Martin, marketing manager for Food Refrigeration at Praxair.

“If CO2 is 50 miles away, for example, and nitrogen is 200 miles away you’re probably better with CO2,”​ Martin told BakeryandSnacks.com.

He said that while both freeze at different temperatures – CO2 at -110⁰F and liquid nitrogen at -320⁰F – Praxair has the ability to make both work in bakery.

Tunnels, fan speed and temperatures however do need to be adjusted according to the product, Martin explained.

Appearance quality is a main bakery concern

For bakers, he said the major concern when freezing products is the appearance. For example, a muffin with icing needs to be packaged without the icing smearing, he said, so temperature control is crucial.

Measuring how quickly a product freezes and determining the size of the tunnel needed is an important job for Praxair to ensure the best quality end product, he added.

Locking in the goodness

Martin said that there are plenty of advantages to cryogenic freezing in bakery, over traditional 8-10 hour freezing on racks.

When you freeze a baked good slowly, there’s a lot of degradation that occurs, he said. “There’s a loss of moisture when you freeze it slowly, and we immediately seal in the moisture which is your freshness and your flavors.”

He explained that getting through the staling zone quickly when freezing a bakery product is fundamental to end product quality and freshness.

“Quick freezing with cryogenics also locks in the form or size of the product and also locks in any type of toppings. So if you freeze it slowly you have a chance that the product may move – either because it’s still pliable or has a topping like icing which has run because it is still warm,”​ he said.

Related topics Processing & Packaging

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