In 2015, Scanfisk Seafood realised the need to create a product by maintaining the same quality standards but with the most natural processing procedure possible. Scanfisk proposed implementing a process by which to increase the product’s shelf life without harming its quality.
Currently, it is only possible for us to reach far-off populations with frozen fish products. The aim of this project is to enable us to deliver fresh fish to a wider segment of the population and in better organoleptic conditions.
In this way, we can contribute indirectly to reducing the pressure on fisheries and their overfishing.
THE PROJECT
The main aim of ULTRAFISH is to integrate a fish processing method (defrosting and rehydrating) into our process based on the use of ultrasound and ultraviolet light.
Ultrasound (us) technology has never been used previously in the fish industry, and its inclusion optimises water consumption in all of the processing phases. Furthermore, as it significantly reduces the time periods of these phases, this technology also has a positive impact on energy consumption.
Ultrasound technology is accompanied by the inclusion of ultraviolet light (uv). The combination of both technologies reduces the total water footprint of fish processing by 50% (both with regard to water consumption – 9.4ml/year as well as water re-use – 6.4 ml/year).
After implementing the ULTRAFISH project in Scanfisk in its totality, we will achieve an average increase of 5 days in the shelf-life of the product, eliminating any use of the chemical additives used in the industry in our future processes.
AIMS
The main differences in comparison with the industrial processes currently used are:
- Increase and reduction of production times.
- Water saving.
- Reduction of CO2 emissions.
- Elimination of chemical additives.
- Increase of over 35% in our production capacity.
- Longer market sales cycle: the fish will be at the customer’s disposal for longer.
- Less fish will be removed from the distribution chains on account of reaching their sell-by date.
- We will eliminate the use of chemical additives in the entire value chain.
- Development of sustainable products.