Methods for chilling fish have essentially been a progression of better ice products… from block ice to flake ice, from refrigerated seawater to slurry ice. Now an invention from Icelandis poised to make its debut in Alaska, and the potential it holds for the industry is off-the-charts.
The fundamental difference is that the ice particles are considerably smaller… several hundred of them will fit on the end of a human hair… and the reasons this is important are legion. The smaller the ice particle the more complete the coverage of the fish and the more rapid the temperature drop. Proper handling is hugely important, but unless you quickly lower the temperature of the fish, quality deteriorates fast.
NanoICE particles are also smaller than most bacteria, forming a protective wall against microbes. And NanoICE can be held at 28-30ºF, keeping the core temperature of fish steady at approximately 31ºF… for weeks. Flake ice has to be kept at 34-35ºF and melt in order for the cooling to take place, and just can’t match this performance.
With the 100% coverage, dehydration and drip loss are cut from approximately 9% to less than 2%. NanoICE machines use up to 70% less energy than conventional ice machines, and up to 90% less refrigerant.
Installations are being scheduled in Alaska now, and the benefits of this latest arrival to improving fish quality will be watched with great interest. Alaska seafood – already known for its superior quality – may benefit from NanoICE, the next innovative breakthrough.
For more information, please, see: http://www.nanoiceglobal.com/en/
