Improving energy efficiency in seafood freezing with brine technology

Abstract

Seafood is an important source of the world’s food supply and demand is growing. More and more seafood is being sold frozen, which extends the shelf life and creates more sustainable transportation options. Depending on the type of product, different freezing methods and equipment are used with a great variation in energy intensity. Brine freezing, with its good heat transfer properties, is one method that can improve the energy efficiency of this process but is not widely used. This paper explores the implications of introducing brine freezing into different seafood production chains, focused on potential reductions in energy consumption, quality attributes and practical aspects. A particular focus is placed on brine freezing of mackerel as part of a two-stage freezing process, including results from preliminary trials that show rapid freezing times but also revealed some practical barriers.