How to Record a Blast Chiller Video for Your Food Safety Management System

Blast chillers are essential equipment for any operation that cooks food in advance. They solve the fundamental problem of cooling: how do you get hot food through the danger zone quickly enough to prevent bacterial growth? This video will train your team to use blast chillers correctly, understand the time and temperature requirements, and know what to do when the equipment isn't available.

Step 1: Set the scene and context

Start your video by explaining why blast chillers exist and what happens when food cools too slowly. This context helps staff understand the urgency behind the 90-minute rule.

A blast chiller is a special unit designed for the rapid cooling of food from a high temperature to a low temperature suitable for placement into a refrigerator or freezer. It's not a fridge—it's specifically engineered for speed. A fridge holds temperature; a blast chiller reduces temperature rapidly.

Explain the danger of slow cooling: long cooling periods can potentially allow spores to germinate, resulting in vegetative bacteria growing and possibly forming toxins in the food. Some bacteria, like Clostridium perfringens and Bacillus cereus, form spores that survive cooking. These spores germinate as food cools through the danger zone. The longer food spends cooling, the more time spores have to become active bacteria and multiply.

This is why the 90-minute cooling window is critical—it minimises the time food spends in the temperature range where spore germination and bacterial growth occur. Blast chillers achieve this by using powerful fans and refrigeration to remove heat much faster than ambient air or a standard fridge can.

Film your opening in front of your blast chiller, showing the unit and its controls. If your unit has an inbuilt probe, show that as well.

Step 2: Plan what to record versus what to write down

Blast chiller operation involves both visual techniques and precise record-keeping requirements. The video shows the physical process; the documentation captures the evidence.

Record on video:

• The complete process: food into unit, selecting settings, monitoring, removing
• How to read and interpret the display and controls
• Using and sanitising the inbuilt probe (if your unit has one)
• What proper food portioning looks like—size and weight limits
• How to assess whether food is ready for refrigerator or freezer storage
• Correct covering and date labelling after cooling
• Cleaning the unit, with emphasis on allergen situations
• What to do when the blast chiller isn't available

Document in written procedures:

• Your specific unit's manufacturer instructions and settings
• The cooling record format: start/finish times and temperatures
• Your 3-day use-by rule for cooled foods (including day of production)
• Siting requirements per manufacturer recommendations
• Vent cleaning and maintenance schedule
• Breakdown contingency procedures
• Alternative cooling methods for emergency situations
• Training and retraining records

The video shows HOW to operate the equipment correctly. The written documents specify WHAT to record and provide the backup procedures.

Step 3: Core rules and requirements

Structure your video around the six critical elements of blast chiller operation. Each requires specific procedures that staff must understand and follow consistently.

The 30-minute and 90-minute rules

Two time limits govern blast chiller use:

30 minutes from cooking to chilling: Foods should be placed into the blast chiller within 30 minutes of cooking. This minimises the time food spends at high temperatures where it's neither cooking nor chilling. Don't leave cooked food sitting on the pass—get it into the blast chiller promptly.

90 minutes from start to finish: Food must be chilled in the unit within 90 minutes before placing into a refrigerator or freezer. This is the maximum cooling time—faster is better.

Temperature targets

Staff should aim for final cooling temperatures of below 3°c if possible, though below 5°c is acceptable when the 90-minute maximum cooling time is reached. Below 3°c is the goal because it provides a safety margin—if food is at 3°c coming out of the blast chiller, it won't rise above 5°c by the time it's stored in the fridge.

Once the target temperature is reached, move the food promptly to refrigerated or frozen storage. Don't leave cooled food sitting in the blast chiller.

Recording requirements

This is non-negotiable for FSMS compliance. The length of time food takes to chill should be recorded, including:

• Start time of cooling
• Finish time of cooling
• Start temperature of the food
• Finish temperature of the food

These four data points prove your cooling process worked. Without them, you have no evidence that food was cooled safely.

Food size and shape requirements

This section addresses why some foods don't cool properly even in a blast chiller. The issue is physics: heat must travel from the centre of the food to the surface before it can be removed by the blast chiller. Large or thick items take too long.

Food items to be cooled should not exceed:

• 2.5kg (6lb) in weight
• 50mm (2 inches) in thickness or height

Large poultry carcasses should be broken down into sections not exceeding these sizes. A whole turkey won't cool safely in a blast chiller—portion it first.

For foods in containers (stews, sauces, pie fillings), ensure the depth of food does not exceed 50mm. Deep containers of hot liquid take longer to cool because heat from the centre must travel through the surrounding food to reach the surface.

Volume limits for liquids

For liquid and bulk volume foods—stews, gravy, pie fillings, soups—it's advisable not to cook more than 10 litres at any one time. Larger volumes overwhelm the blast chiller's capacity.

The capacity of the blast chiller should not be exceeded. Check your unit's specifications and don't overload it. Overloading means slower cooling, which defeats the purpose.

Ensure enough time has elapsed for cooling before beginning the next batch. If you're cooling multiple batches, the unit needs to recover between loads.

Staff training and manufacturer instructions

Blast chillers must only be operated by trained staff who follow the manufacturer's instructions for safe use. This isn't equipment that anyone should start using without proper training—the time and temperature parameters are critical.

Blast chillers should be sited in accordance with manufacturer recommendations for ease of use and to facilitate cleaning and maintenance. Poor siting (blocked ventilation, difficult access) leads to poor performance and inadequate cleaning.

Step 4: Demonstrate or walk through

This is where you show staff exactly what correct blast chiller operation looks like from start to finish.

Loading the blast chiller

Demonstrate the complete process:

"This batch of chicken has just finished cooking. I'm checking the time—it's 2:15pm. I need to get this into the blast chiller within 30 minutes, so by 2:45pm at the latest."

"First, I'm portioning this into containers. Notice the depth of the food isn't exceeding 50mm—I'm using shallow containers, spreading the food out rather than piling it deep. Deep containers slow cooling."

"I'm taking the starting temperature with a clean, sanitised probe—72°c. I'm recording this: start time 2:20pm, start temp 72°c."

"Now I'm loading the containers into the blast chiller. I'm not overloading—I'm leaving space for air to circulate between containers."

"I'm selecting the chilling cycle. On this unit, I'm aiming for a target of 3°c."

Using the inbuilt probe

If your unit has an inbuilt probe:

"Our unit has an inbuilt probe. Before every use, this must be cleaned and sanitised—it's going to be inserted into food, so it must be hygienically safe."

"I'm inserting the probe into the thickest part of the food—this is where cooling will be slowest, so this tells me when the entire portion is cool."

"The display now shows the actual food temperature as it drops. When this reaches my target, the unit will alert me."

Monitoring and completion

Walk through the completion process:

"The unit is showing the food has reached 4°c. I'm checking the time—it's 3:35pm. That's 75 minutes of cooling time, well within the 90-minute limit."

"I'm taking a final probe reading to verify: 4°c confirmed. I'm recording: finish time 3:35pm, finish temp 4°c."

"This food is now ready for refrigerated storage. I'm covering these containers and labelling them: contents, date of cooking/cooling, and use-by date. Food cooked and cooled today, [Tuesday], must be used by end of service on [Thursday]—that's three days including the day of production."

Handling larger items

Demonstrate portioning:

"This whole chicken needs to cool. But a whole bird won't cool within 90 minutes—the centre stays warm while the outside chills."

"I'm portioning it into pieces that don't exceed 2.5kg each. The breast portions, the leg portions, each going into separate containers."

"For bulk items like this stew, I'm using multiple shallow containers rather than one deep container. The depth in each is about 40mm—well under the 50mm limit."

Allergen considerations

This is critical and often overlooked:

"We've just finished cooling a batch that contained nuts. Before I use this blast chiller for any other food, I must clean and disinfect it thoroughly."

"Blast chillers come into regular contact with high-risk foods and will come into contact with allergens. Frequent cleaning and disinfection is required—and in the case of allergens, both before AND after use."

"I'm cleaning all surfaces, the shelves, the probe if fitted, the interior walls. Then disinfecting. Then the unit is safe to use for non-allergen foods."

Recording demonstration

Show the complete record:

"Let me show you what a completed cooling record looks like:"

"Item: Chicken casserole. Start time: 2:20pm. Start temp: 72°c. Finish time: 3:35pm. Finish temp: 4°c. Total cooling time: 75 minutes."

"These records go in the daily kitchen log. They prove every batch was cooled safely and within time limits."

When the blast chiller isn't available

Breakdown contingency:

"The blast chiller has broken down. I have hot food that needs cooling. Let me show you the contingency methods."

"First, I assess what I'm dealing with. This is a batch of curry—about 8 litres. I need to get it from cooking temperature to below 8°c within 90 minutes using alternative methods."

"Step one: I'm transferring it from the hot cooking pot into cold stainless steel containers. The cold metal draws heat away immediately. I'm using several shallow containers rather than one deep one."

"Step two: I'm setting up an ice bath. I've filled this sink with ice and cold water. The containers sit in the ice bath."

"Step three: I'm stirring the curry regularly. Every few minutes I stir to move warm food from the centre to the edges where it contacts the cold container walls."

"Step four: I'm monitoring temperature every 15 minutes. Starting temp 72°c at 2pm. At 2:15pm, 58°c. At 2:30pm, 42°c. At 2:45pm, 28°c. At 3pm, 15°c. At 3:15pm, 6°c."

"Total cooling time: 75 minutes using contingency methods. Still within the 90-minute target. This curry is now safe for refrigerated storage."

"But here's the critical point: if we'd reached 90 minutes and the food was still at 25°c, I'd have a decision to make. I could continue cooling with more aggressive methods, but I cannot exceed 120 minutes. If we hit 120 minutes and the food isn't below 8°c, it must be discarded."

Multiple batch management

When you have more food than capacity:

"I've batch-cooked enough soup for the week—about 30 litres. The blast chiller can handle 10 litres per cycle. Let me show you how to manage this."

"First batch of 10 litres goes in the blast chiller now. The other 20 litres need to wait—but they can't just sit at cooking temperature."

"I'm using the contingency methods for the waiting batches. Ice baths, shallow containers, stirring. They're cooling slowly while the first batch is in the blast chiller."

"When the first batch finishes, I move it to the fridge immediately and load the second batch into the blast chiller. By now, the contingency cooling has brought batch two down significantly, so the blast chiller can finish the job faster."

"Third batch same process. Throughout this, I'm monitoring and recording temperatures for every batch. Each batch gets its own cooling record."

"This is more complex than cooling one batch, but it's the only safe way to handle volumes that exceed the blast chiller's capacity."

Labelling cooled food correctly

The complete label:

"This curry has finished cooling. Before it goes in the fridge, it needs a label."

"I write: 'Chicken curry.' I write: 'Cooked and cooled [today's date].' I write: 'Use by [date three days from now, including today].' I write: 'Contains: milk, mustard.'"

"Wait—why three days? Because food that's been cooked and cooled has a maximum life of three days including the day of production. Made Monday means use by Wednesday."

"The allergen information is on here too. When someone grabs this from the fridge in two days, they need to know immediately what allergens it contains."

Post-cooling quality checks

Before storage:

"The curry has reached 4°c. Before I cover it and put it in the fridge, I do a quick quality check."

"I'm looking for: correct consistency—this curry should be thick, not watery. Correct colour—it should look appetising. No signs of spoilage—no off smells, no unusual appearance."

"This looks and smells fine. I'm covering the container—either with a lid or food-grade cling film. Covered containers protect against contamination in the fridge and prevent moisture loss."

"Into the fridge it goes, positioned according to our storage rules. Ready-to-eat cooked food goes above raw ingredients."

Step 5: Common mistakes to avoid

Address the mistakes that compromise blast chiller effectiveness.

Mistake 1: Delaying getting food into the blast chiller. Food sitting on the pass or in pans is cooling slowly through the danger zone. Get it into the blast chiller within 30 minutes of cooking. Don't finish the sauce, clean up, chat, then remember the chicken needs cooling.

Mistake 2: Using containers that are too deep. Deep containers of hot food cool from the outside in. A 100mm depth of stew won't reach 5°c in 90 minutes. Use shallow containers, maximum 50mm depth.

Mistake 3: Overloading the unit. Cramming too much food into the blast chiller blocks airflow and overwhelms the unit's capacity. Cool in batches if necessary. Faster cooling with less food is better than slow cooling with more.

Mistake 4: Not breaking down large items. A 5kg joint or whole turkey won't cool safely. Portion into pieces under 2.5kg and under 50mm thickness. Plan this before you start cooking.

Mistake 5: Forgetting to record times and temperatures. Without records, you have no evidence of safe cooling. Get into the habit: record when it goes in, what temp it was, record when it comes out, what temp it reached.

Mistake 6: Not sanitising the inbuilt probe. The probe goes into food. If it's not cleaned and sanitised before use, it contaminates the food. Every time, before every use.

Mistake 7: Leaving food in the blast chiller after cooling completes. The blast chiller isn't a fridge. Once food reaches target temperature, move it to refrigerated or frozen storage promptly.

Mistake 8: Ignoring allergen cleaning requirements. Food cooled after allergen-containing batches can become contaminated. Clean and disinfect after cooling foods containing allergens, before using the unit for other items.

Mistake 9: Starting the next batch before the unit recovers. If you've just finished cooling a large batch, the unit needs time to return to optimal operating temperature. Rushing the next batch means slower cooling.

Mistake 10: No contingency plan for breakdowns. Blast chillers break down. If you have no alternative cooling method, you're throwing away cooked food. Have a backup plan.

Step 6: Key takeaways

End your video by reinforcing the core principles of blast chiller operation.

30 minutes into the unit, 90 minutes to cool. Food goes into the blast chiller within 30 minutes of cooking and must reach target temperature within 90 minutes. These aren't guidelines—they're limits.

Target temperature is below 3°c, acceptable below 5°c. Below 3°c provides a safety margin. Below 5°c is the maximum acceptable if you're at the 90-minute limit.

Record everything: start time, start temperature, finish time, finish temperature. Without records, you can't prove the food was cooled safely.

Size matters: 2.5kg maximum weight, 50mm maximum thickness or depth. Large items and deep containers cool too slowly. Portion before cooling.

Volume limits for liquids: 10 litres maximum per batch. More than this overwhelms the unit. Cook in smaller batches if necessary.

Sanitise the probe before every use. The inbuilt probe goes into food—it must be clean.

Clean thoroughly, especially after allergens. Blast chillers contact high-risk foods and allergens. Clean and disinfect between uses, and specifically after allergen-containing batches.

Date label cooled food correctly. Cooked and cooled food has a 3-day life including the day of production. Cook Tuesday, use by Thursday.

Don't overload. Air needs to circulate. More items means slower cooling.

Have a contingency plan. Equipment fails. Know your alternative cooling methods before you need them. If the blast chiller breaks down, you need a plan immediately—not after the food has been sitting at dangerous temperatures.

Maintenance prevents problems. Blocked vents significantly affect the unit's ability to cool foods quickly. Check and clean vents regularly. Follow manufacturer maintenance schedules.

Only trained staff operate the unit. Blast chillers aren't intuitive. Proper training ensures proper use.

If food hasn't been cooled correctly or safely, discard it. No food is worth the risk of food poisoning.

Position matters for even cooling. Don't stack containers on top of each other. Space them out so cold air can reach all surfaces.

Let the unit recover between batches. After cooling one batch, give the unit a few minutes to return to optimal temperature before loading the next. A warm unit from a recent cycle won't cool the next batch as effectively.

Food must be hot going in. The blast chiller is for rapidly cooling hot food. Don't use it to chill already-cooled food or to freeze items—that's not its purpose.

Transfer to proper storage immediately after cooling. The blast chiller isn't a fridge. Once food reaches target temperature, move it to refrigerated or frozen storage within minutes.

Know your unit's specifications. Different models have different capacities, target temperatures, and cycle times. Read the manual for your specific equipment.

Record any breakdowns, any corrective actions, any use of alternative cooling methods, any training. Your records demonstrate your system works and identify where improvements are needed. A well-maintained blast chiller with proper documentation is your best defence against cooling-related food safety incidents.

Plan production around cooling capacity. If you know you can only cool 10 litres at a time, don't cook 50 litres at the end of service and expect everything to cool safely.

The spore risk is real. Slow cooling allows Clostridium perfringens and Bacillus cereus spores to germinate and multiply. These cause food poisoning that reheating won't prevent. Rapid cooling is the only solution.

Temperature abuse during cooling cannot be undone. Unlike some food safety failures, prolonged time in the danger zone creates toxins that survive cooking. Once the damage is done, the food must be discarded.

Manufacturer instructions are specific to your model. Different blast chillers have different capacities, cycle times, and maintenance requirements. Read the manual for your equipment.

Regular maintenance prevents breakdowns. Clean vents, check seals, and service compressors according to the manufacturer's schedule. A breakdown during service is preventable with good maintenance.

Emergency procedures should be documented and practiced. Everyone should know what to do if the blast chiller fails mid-service. Written contingency plans prevent panic and poor decisions.

Shallow containers cool faster than deep ones. Maximum 50mm depth for liquids—spread food out for faster cooling rather than piling it deep.

Staff who understand why rapid cooling matters comply better than staff who just follow instructions. Explain the spore germination risk and the toxin problem.

Weekly review of cooling records identifies patterns. If certain products consistently take longer to cool, or if close calls are becoming common, address the root cause before you have a failure.

Transfer cooled food to refrigeration immediately. The blast chiller isn't a storage unit. Once food reaches target temperature, move it to the fridge or freezer within minutes.

Daily cleaning prevents biofilm buildup. The interior surfaces, probe, and shelves need regular cleaning to maintain hygiene and efficiency.

Don't rely on the blast chiller for freezing. It's designed for rapid cooling, not long-term storage or freezing. Transfer food to appropriate storage once cooling is complete.

Monitoring during cooling catches problems early. If food isn't cooling as expected, you have time to intervene before exceeding time limits.