Icelandic experience in storing fish in chilled seawater

Abstract

Several species of eviscerated or ungutted fish have been the subject of storage trials in containers filled with chilled sea water (CSW), container capacities ranging from 600 to 40 000 l. A study was made of onboard conditions in a fishing vessel, in order to test the reaction of fishermen to this new technique. The internal temperatures of containers were recorded and the storage duration was assessed in terms of organoleptical, chemical (trimethylamine) and bacteriological parameters. In most of the experiments, the control samples were fish held in ice in 70 to 90 l plastic boxes; the results of experiments on storage durations have confirmed earlier results. Storage durations for fish held in CSW compare with those of ice storage, but in the case of onboard handling operations, container storage is easier and involves less labour. The relationship ice-water-fish comes out at 15-15-70. Ice can be stored onboard in insulated containers which can also be used to store fish on land prior to transformation. It will be necessary to convince fishermen of the technical advantages of this technique but, in any event, major alterations will have to be made to unloading constructions and installations before CSW container-storage can be generally accepted.