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Fast defrosting of meat
Meat is a delicate food product. Whether it is pork, beef or poultry, its processing in agri-food processes can cause food safety problems. Depending on the method used, the thawing process can pose several problems such as micro-bacteriological growth and significant water loss. The defrosting of meat by microwave is a process that makes it possible to remedy these problems.
Our customer was looking for a quick and efficient way to thaw frozen pork, chicken, and beef. Our rapid cost saving thawing solution fully meets their needs.
Initial defrosting process
There are several defrosting methods for food products, particularly for meat. Among the conventional techniques used in the food industry, the defrosting room is commonly employed, where meat is left in open air conditions for several hours.
Although widely used, this method has several drawbacks:
- It requires significant storage space, often with forced ventilation
- It relies on air circulation at ambient temperature
- It leads to considerable and costly water losses
Our customer, located in Bogotá, Colombia, employs around 200 people. The company is part of a large supermarket chain with hundreds of stores across the country. It produces sausages made from different types of frozen meat (pork, chicken, and beef).
The site was not equipped with an industrial defrosting solution. Meat blocks were therefore thawed in open air for approximately 18 hours.
The main issues were:
- Bacterial growth
- Significant water losses
- Production delays
Customer requirements
The customer needed to defrost 20–25 kg meat blocks from -18°C to -2°C before grinding.
The daily production volume was around 18 tons of meat per day, with higher demand during the summer season. The equipment therefore had to operate 24/24 during peak periods.
Proposed defrosting solution
Given the required throughput, Sairem proposed the NutriTemp Batch microwave tempering oven, equipped with two sliding tables.
This batch solution enables:
- Processing of the required production volumes
- Quick changeover between meat types thanks to recipes integrated into the HMI system
Meat blocks are now evenly tempered in less than 5 minutes, compared to 18 hours previously, with no water loss.
In addition, the system has a compact footprint, requiring minimal floor space.
Key benefits of microwave defrosting
Speed
The equipment delivers significant time savings:
- 18 tons processed in 1 day instead of 3–4 days previously
- Products ready within minutes
- Faster production and improved responsiveness
Quality
Product quality (taste, texture) is preserved thanks to:
- Rapid defrosting
- Homogeneous temperature distribution
Cost savings
- The process completely eliminates water loss (previously around 6% of total weight).
- Estimated savings: up to USD 2,700 per day.
Safety
Fast and uniform tempering prevents microbial growth:
- Reduced risk of bacterial proliferation
- A reliable solution for food safety requirements
NUTRITEMP RANGE – Discover Sairem’s tempering systems
Our microwave and radio frequency tempering and defrosting solutions are designed for industrial food processing applications requiring fast, controlled, and uniform tempering and thawing. They support both packaged and unpackaged products, ensuring precise temperature control prior to further processing.
Available in batch, compact, and modular designs, our space-saving tempering and defrosting equipment adapts to different production volumes, site constraints, and product types. With remote control connectivity for monitoring and process optimization, our systems deliver consistent product quality, reduced lead time, and stable, efficient production flow across a wide range of operating conditions.
Calculate your payback
How much is drip loss really costing you?
Every thawing cycle comes with hidden losses. Depending on your product and process, drip loss can reach up to 8% of total weight — directly impacting your margins before production even begins.
With just a few inputs, you can estimate your actual financial losses and identify how much you could recover with a more efficient defrosting solution.
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Interesting in testing industrial microwave or radio frequency technology to optimize your food processing performance?