The introduction of ice cream extrusion combined with forced-air tunnel freezing transformed the popsicle and novelty industry forever (extruded popsicles, ice cream sandwiches, and filled bars). This technology unlocked endless product innovation, enabling extraordinarily soft textures, high overrun (air incorporation), and complex three-dimensional shapes impossible to achieve with conventional molds.
Extrusion-Freezing Tunnel
Extrusion Tunnel
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EXTRUSION TUNNEL
POPSICLE ICE CREAM PRODUCTION LINE
Finamac®'s First Ice Cream Extrusion and Forced-Air Freezing Tunnel System
Timeline: The Evolution of Extrusion and Tunnel Freezing
Until the late 1960s, the industry relied almost exclusively on brine freezing tanks. While efficient for traditional popsicles, they presented thermal limitations for aerated mixes and bold geometric shapes:
- 1970 | Glacier Industries (USA): Revolutionized the global market by introducing continuous vertical extrusion coupled with a forced-air hardening tunnel. The viscous mix exited the continuous freezer at -5 °C, was wire-cut, sticked, and transported into a sealed tunnel at -35 °C to -40 °C, rapidly freezing the product via convection prior to chocolate dipping and wrapping.
- 1990s | LTE Technologies: The rise of Low Temperature Extrusion (LTE). By cooling the mix down to temperatures between -10 °C and -15 °C under high shear stress, ice crystals formed up to 3 times smaller, delivering unprecedented creaminess.
- Current Technology: Ice cream extrusion with large inclusions (whole fruits, nuts, and cookie pieces) without clogging nozzles or damaging structure, combined with high-efficiency energy systems.
Finamac® Visionary Tradition: From Extrusion to the Direct Freezing Revolution
A pioneer in Brazil by engineering its first extrusion and forced-air freezing system in 1995, Finamac® has never stopped innovating.
In 2012, Finamac®'s R&D team—bringing together PhD engineers and leading research institutes—took on the challenge of achieving the impossible: freezing popsicles in record time without thermal fluids, without extrusion, without forced air, and without liquid nitrogen.
The development of the EXTRUSION TUNNEL paved the way for over a decade of research, culminating in patented direct-cooling mold technology. This historic breakthrough brings to life the revolutionary AUTOPOP and SPEEDYPOP—a new era of freezing designed to elevate small, medium, and large manufacturers to the top of the market. The future of your production is about to change!