IQF & Block Frozen Squid — Two Technologies, One Standard of Quality

IQF stands for Individually Quick Frozen. It is a freezing process in which each individual piece of squid — each tube, each ring, each baby squid, each tentacle — passes through a blast freezer or cryogenic tunnel and is frozen separately, in isolation from every other piece, at an ultra-low temperature typically between -30°C and -40°C.

The result is a bag or carton of frozen squid pieces that are completely separate from one another — free-flowing, loose, not stuck together. Open a bag of IQF squid tubes and you can take out exactly the number of pieces you need, reseal the bag, and return the rest to the freezer without any quality loss. This is the fundamental commercial advantage of IQF: portion control, flexibility and zero waste.

IQF freezing is fast — the rapid temperature drop minimises ice crystal formation inside the squid flesh, preserving the cellular structure of the meat. This translates directly into superior texture, better colour retention, lower drip loss on defrosting and higher finished product quality. For buyers whose end customers are eating the squid — retailers, foodservice operators, restaurants — IQF is almost always the preferred format.

The IQF process also typically involves glazing — a thin coating of water that is applied to the frozen squid pieces to protect them from freezer burn during storage and transit. Glazing percentage is a critical commercial specification: standard glazing runs from 10% to 20%, meaning that 80% to 90% of the gross weight you buy is actual squid flesh. At First Squid, we specify glazing percentage transparently on every contract — no hidden overglaze, no surprises on net yield.

IQF squid is packed in standard polybags inside master cartons — typically 10kg, 15kg or 20kg net weight per carton — and stored and transported at -18°C or below.

tubes · rings · baby squid

The quality of frozen squid is not just determined at the moment of freezing — it is determined by the integrity of the cold chain from the moment the squid leaves the vessel to the moment it arrives in your cold store. A temperature break anywhere in that chain — on the vessel, in the processing plant, during palletisation, in port cold storage, or in the reefer container — can permanently compromise the quality of the product.

At First Squid, cold chain integrity is non-negotiable. Every supplier in our network is required to maintain continuous cold chain documentation — from on-vessel freezing records to processing plant temperature logs, port cold storage certificates and reefer container set-point records. We verify these documents on every shipment, and they are available to our buyers as part of the standard documentation package.

All frozen squid shipped by First Squid travels at -18°C or below in standard or high-cube reefer containers, with continuous temperature monitoring. We work with leading reefer container operators and freight forwarders who understand the specific requirements of frozen seafood cargo.

From the fishing grounds of the Falkland Islands to a cold store in Barcelona, from the processing plants of Peru to a warehouse in Tokyo — First Squid manages the cold chain so that the squid that arrives at your facility is in exactly the same condition as when it left ours.