DESCRIZIONE
The present invention generally relates to a process for chilling meat products suited for subsequent shape formation in a tumbler or blender using a cryogenic liquid as a refrigerant. The process is primarily designed for the formation of food products such as a burger patty and comprises the steps: (a) measuring the mass of meat to be chilled in said blender' (b) measuring the mass of frozen meat to be added to said blender; (c) calculating the amount of cryogenic liquid to be added to said blender to chill the mass of meat added to said blender in steps (a) and (b) to a preselected first temperature; (d) increasing the calculated amount of cryogenic liquid to be added to said blender derived in step (c) by a predetermined constant as the size of the burger patty to be chilled decreases from a preselect standard; and, (e) introducing the cryogenic liquid to said blender in staged or cycled increments.