IQF

Units & Measurements abbreviation · Cooking

IQF stands for Individually quick frozen, a cooking abbreviation.

Packaging term for foods such as berries, shrimp, peas and chicken pieces frozen piece by piece in a blast freezer so they stay separate instead of forming a solid block. Cooks can pour out exactly the amount needed and return the rest.

Example: Case of IQF wild blueberries, 4 x 5 lb bags, keep frozen at 0°F or below.

Usage notes

Rapid freezing forms smaller ice crystals, which reduces cell damage and liquid loss on thawing compared with slow block freezing. Processors commonly use tunnel or fluidized-bed freezers in which cold air keeps the pieces moving. Seafood labels for IQF shrimp may also state a glaze percentage, the thin protective coat of ice.

Related abbreviations

More cooking abbreviations

• fl oz – Fluid ounce
• gal – Gallon
• GF – Gluten-free
• gm – Gram (older recipe form)
• HACCP – Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points
• HFCS – High-fructose corn syrup
• lb – Pound (avoirdupois)
• lg – Large
• med – Medium
• MSG – Monosodium glutamate
• No. 10 – Number 10 can
• oz – Ounce (avoirdupois)

See all 43 cooking abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.