PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a food freezing method giving a high-quality frozen food having remarkably decreased residual stress generated in the food during the freezing process and resistant to generation of meat split, etc., and a freezing apparatus to use the freezing method.SOLUTION: The freezing method for the food includes freezing of a cooling object 5 in a cooling chamber 2 with cold air 8 blown into the cooling chamber 2 while heating the cooling object 5 plural times with a heating means interposing prescribed time intervals during the progress of freezing to allow melting of ice crystals having a prescribed diameter and generated in the cooling object 5.COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT【目的】食品を凍結する際に、食品の凍結中に生ずる同食品内の残留応力を格段に低減できて、身割れ等が生じ難い高品質の冷凍食品を提供できる食品の冷凍方法と同冷凍方法を用いた冷凍装置を提供できるようにした。【解決手段】冷却室2内の被冷却物5を、同冷却室2内に送風した冷気8によって凍結させる際、凍結の進行中に、所定の時間的間隔をあけて被冷却物5を加熱手段により複数回加熱し、この加熱時に、被冷却物5中に生じている所定粒径の氷結晶を融解方向に指向させて被冷却物5を凍結する食品の冷凍方法。【選択図】 図1
