When discussing cooling, most people think of refrigeration. Vacuum cooling technology delivers higher efficiency while improving product quality.
For food and beverage manufacturers, cooling technologies are becoming critical when it comes to maintaining product quality and optimising operations. Specifically in hotter temperatures, manufacturers face threats that can cause food spoilage. With microbial growth thriving in heat and moisture, a viable cooling solution is required to save the business from detriment that can cause irreparable reputational harm.
What solution can be energy efficient while extending shelf life and preserving quality? Ester Gomez, business development manager at Heuch Cooling Solutions, introduces vacuum cooling technology.
Vacuum cooling
Heuch has been part of Australian industry for more than 50 years, building its reputation through cooling and refrigeration projects across mining, defence, sport, and science. In recent years, the company has expanded into the food and beverage sector, developing solutions that respond to the unique demands of manufacturers.
At the centre of this shift is vacuum cooling, a technology already well established in Europe and Asia and now being adopted in Australia. To deliver this technology, Heuch works in partnership with Weber Vacuum Group, the leading Dutch company with more than 15 years’ experience developing vacuum cooling systems for a range of industries, including bakery, horticulture, and prepared foods.
The collaboration between Heuch and Weber brings together engineering expertise and local market knowledge, creating tailored systems for Australian food and beverage producers.
How does it work?
Weber’s international sales manager, Nick Hanley, explained that vacuum cooling operates on a different principle compared to traditional methods. For example, blast chillers use refrigeration systems and high-velocity fans to force cold air to lower temperatures. Cold storage units use a refrigeration cycle to extract heat from the inside of an insulated, sealed space for continuous cooling.
He compared a vacuum cooling chamber to an “elevator to outer space”. When products are placed in an airtight chamber, a vacuum pump removes air to reduce atmospheric levels to about nine millibars.
“The less atmospheric pressure there is, the easier it is for oxygen to leave water molecules and turn into water evaporation,” said Hanley.
With the boiling point of water dropping close to zero, it allows water within the product to boil and turn into vapour at a much lower temperature than normal. This rapid evaporation removes heat from the food within minutes.
Bread, for example, can be cooled in as little as 10 minutes compared to hours in a conventional process. For cooked foods, sauces, vegetables, or prepared meals, the same principle applies, reducing cooling times to a fraction of conventional methods.
With the benefits extending beyond speed, vacuum cooling is reshaping how the food and beverage industry approaches post-production cooling. By rapidly pulling products through the critical ‘danger zone’, between 5°C and 60°C where bacteria multiply most rapidly, vacuum cooling improves food safety and extends shelf life.
The process also reduces moisture and heat without damaging the product, ensuring consistent quality.
“Vacuum cooling is a completely different way of thinking about cooling because we’re not applying refrigeration directly to the product,” he said. “We’re applying the lack of atmospheric pressure, which the product reacts to.”
Unlike refrigeration that relies on circulating cold air, vacuum cooling does not apply cold energy directly to the food. Instead, it creates conditions where the product cools itself naturally through evaporation. The result is fast, uniform, and reliable cooling.
Addressing pain points
“We’re seeing growing interest in vacuum cooling, especially from businesses looking to overcome long-standing production challenges,” said Ester.
As older systems reach end of life, manufacturers are now considering whether to replace them with conventional systems or invest in vacuum cooling. For companies facing bottlenecks in production, cooling, packaging or limits on energy use, the decision is increasingly shifting towards vacuum systems.
Vacuum cooling consumes a staggering 80 per cent less energy than blast chilling, helping companies manage utility costs and reduce their environmental footprint. For some manufacturers, the key benefit is higher productivity, while for others it is lower energy consumption. In either case, the technology delivers a measurable return on investment.
With the long-term benefits of reduced cooling times, manufacturers can increase throughput without expanding facilities. Labour needs are also reduced as waiting times are eliminated and production lines can run continuously.
Delivering tailored solutions
No two food producers operate in the same way. The main drivers are the differences in product, recipes, volumes, and equipment. Standard components such as pressure chambers, pumps, and programmable control units remain consistent, but size, capacity, and configuration are tailored to each client. In bakery, for example, trolley sizes and batch volumes drive design decisions. In prepared foods, the recipes and product types determine how the system is calibrated.
For this reason, most vacuum cooling systems are customised. Heuch and Weber design systems to fit existing workflows, whether standalone chambers or units integrated with conveyor lines.
Bringing awareness to the technology
The partnership between Heuch and Weber is strategic in distributing and servicing advanced vacuum cooling solutions to the Australian market. With Weber’s vacuum cooling experience across bakery to fresh produce, Heuch can work with companies to help them get the most out of the cooling systems based on the products they are working with.
The immediate goal for Heuch and Weber is education and showing what the technology can do for food producers firsthand. As interest for vacuum cooling grows in Australia, demonstrations, trials, and trade show participation are therefore central to the companies’ strategy.
With more than 500 proven international success stories in various industries, there are opportunities to book trial runs with real products. From support and sales to commissioning and recipe development, the hands-on approach ensures companies not only adopt the technology but also achieve its full benefits.
Wielding innovation
In the food and beverage sector, manufacturers are under increasing pressure to produce more with fewer resources, without compromising quality or safety. Technologies like vacuum cooling are emerging as a powerful alternative to conventional cooling methods, offering a practical path to tackle the industry’s most persistent challenges.
Ester highlighted the importance of trade shows for businesses to see firsthand technologies such as vacuum cooling systems. For example, Heuch will be attending FoodPro 2026 to allow companies to book demos and test products, providing interactive experiences to scale the benefits in real time.
“We would love to continue education around this technology while proposing other cooling systems and solutions that could apply to the industry,” said Ester.
Understanding the requirement for innovation in the food and beverage industry, Heuch’s partnership with Weber is designed to drive innovation with smarter technology, not just simply supplying equipment. By observing the broader industry landscape both externally and internally, the two are guiding companies on an innovation journey, helping them adopt a technology that will define the next era of food production.
Learn more at heuch.com.au/food