Automated box chilling system speeds up seafood packing
Seafood, meat and poultry currently packed with water ice or dry ice in boxes can be chilled more safely and efficiently when using the DRI PACK® automated box chilling system which uses the chilling power of carbon dioxide (CO2) snow, according to manufacturer Linde LLC.
With the DRI PACK system, extremely cold CO2 snow quickly chills the food
product, locking in moisture and preserving freshness and quality. A controlled
flow of CO2 snow is directed into containers or boxes at temperatures of
negative 109.3oF (minus 78.5oC). Once in the container,
the CO2 snow does not melt; rather, through the process of sublimation, the CO2
provides the refrigeration to chill food - so there is never any liquid.
Linde says that the automated box chilling system offers safety advantages over
chilling with water ice or dry ice pellets. Handling bagged ice or constantly
shovelling water ice or CO2 pellets can lead to motion injuries. In addition,
using CO2 pellets in totes or other open containers in packing plants poses a
hazard, as CO2 is an odourless asphyxiant. The DRI PACK system eliminates the
storage and physical handling of ice, and the equipment includes a shroud
around the chute to vent waste gases to the outside.
Packing fresh fish, shellfish or other foods with ice by hand is inherently
slow and labour intensive, and means variable chilling results. Additionally,
ice made from water can melt in transit, causing handling issues and
less-than-desirable product quality.
“With fish and seafood products retailing for $10 to $20 a pound or more,
preserving
the product’s high-quality appearance, taste, and texture becomes extremely
important”, said Ed Cordiano, Linde program manager, prepared foods and
seafood.