Polysec offers a wide range of refrigerated units suitable for the cold storage of fish. Our temperature controlled cold stores keep fish in perfect condition, so it can be as fresh as possible from ship to shore and during storage. The safe usage of a cold store can help to prolong the stock life of fish enabling your business to be more profitable and cut down on waste. By using cold stores you can store fish at the perfect temperature and reduce the chances of it spoiling.
Why is it important to keep fish as fresh as possible?
Fresh produce such as fish has a limited shelf life, even when stored on ice. Cod and haddock, for example, caught fresh in the North Atlantic, might be stored for up to 12 days on ice, after which time it starts to spoil.
Keeping fish inside a temperature controlled environment helps to slow down the spoiling process. Care has to be taken with frozen fish, though, and this needs to be stored in accordance with species and size.
Lean fish such as cod and haddock should be stored at a temperature of less than -180C, whereas slightly more fatty fish, such as herring and mackerel, should be stored at -240C.
Obviously, most businesses that store fish keep a variety of species, so ideally cold stores used for this purpose should be capable of operating at -300C.
Factors that can limit storage life
Certain changes can have a detrimental impact on the storage life of fish. These can be broken down into the following categories:
Colour changes – When exposed to warmer temperatures the physical colour of fish can change and result in the produce being downgraded. This process can be slowed down at lower temperatures.
Dehydration – The surface area of fish can be severely affected due to the impact of dehydration, often caused when fish start to dry out during cold storage. A well-designed freezer can minimise this.
Changes in fat – Certain types of fatty fish can have their appearance dramatically altered when they are subjected to cold storage. This can be prevented by sealing the fish inside protective vacuum packaging.
Protein changes – Serious protein changes can occur when fish are stored at too high a temperature. To prevent this and stop fish from spoiling, temperatures should be set at the lowest possible setting.
Storing fish inside cold stores and freezers helps to extend product life. If you need advice about cold storage solutions we have the perfect product for you here at Polysec, just contact us today or call us on 01905 458551.