In order to overcome problems that earlier apparatus and methods have experienced, an apparatus (10) for reducing the temperature of a product (26) as well as a corresponding method are proposed, said apparatus (10) comprising:- a housing (12) having a chamber (18) therein, and an inlet (20) and an outlet (22) in communication with the chamber (18)；- a plurality of zones (40, 42, 44, 46) in the chamber (18) between the inlet (20) and the outlet (22), each one of the plurality of zones (40, 42, 44, 46) having a corresponding heat transfer rate atmosphere and said plurality of zones (40, 42, 44, 46) being arranged in descending order of heat transfer rate atmospheres from the inlet (20) to the outlet (22)；- a heat transfer apparatus (34, 36) disposed in the chamber (18) at each one of the plurality of zones (40, 42, 44, 46), the heat transfer apparatus selected from at least one of a fan (36), a cryogenic spray nozzle (34), and combinations thereof；- a conveyor assembly (24) for transferring the product (26) from the inlet (20) through the plurality of zones (40, 42, 44, 46) to the outlet (22)；- a controller (48) in communication with the chamber (18), the plurality of zones (40, 42, 44, 46), the heat transfer apparatus (34, 36), the conveyor assembly (24) and the heat transfer rate atmospheres, the controller (48) having stored therein data of physical characteristics and a heat transfer profile of the product (26) to adjust and control the heat transfer rate atmospheres for the product (26), such that a heat transfer rate of the product (26) will decrease as the product (26) is transferred from the inlet (20) through each one of the plurality of zones (40, 42, 44, 46) to the outlet (22)； and- a sensor (50) disposed at each of the chamber (18), the plurality of zones (40, 42, 44, 46), the heat transfer apparatus (34, 36), the conveyor assembly (24) and the heat transfer rate atmospheres, and communicating with the controller (48) for transmitting and/or r
