• SEAFOOD
• HOW TO CHOOSE
• RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT

Considerations for the Seafood Industry

Because seafood is fragile and highly perishable it is important to choose the right type of ice to chill it.

North Star flake ice offers numerous benefits over other types of ice:

• The greatest cooling surface area – The more ice that is in contact with seafood, the faster it cools. Flake ice offers 20% more surface area than crushed ice, 35% more than shell ice, 60% more than plate ice, and 75% more than tube ice.
• Faster cooling – The thin shape of flake ice allows it to melt quickly for the fastest heat transfer. Ice only cools when it melts, so faster melting equals faster cooling. This key feature of flake ice preserves seafood quality more effectively than other ice types.
• Greater product protection – The flat shape of flake ice cushions seafood against damage and will not create indentations in softer fish.
• Easy to store and distribute – North Star flake ice is completely dry, so it will not rapidly fuse together in a storage bin or clog screw conveyors or pneumatic delivery systems. This is critical to the high volume ice usage typical of seafood operations.
• Cost-effective production – Flake ice is the most economical ice to produce, requiring only 1.3 tons of refrigeration per ton of ice from 60ºF (16º C) water.

For those who prefer liquid ice, North Star seawater liquid ice also provides rapid product cooling. This liquid ice is a pumpable mixture of small ice particles suspended in seawater. Please be aware that seawater liquid ice can be too cold for some species of seafood. Contact North Star to ensure that this product is right for your application.

When sizing ice makers for seafood applications the general rule of thumb is 1 pound of ice per pound of finfish. Mollusks and others are generally iced at ½ pound of ice per pound of product. Please contact North Star for assistance in sizing a flake ice plant or liquid ice system for your application.

STAINLESS STEEL FOR SEAFOOD APPLICATIONS

As with all food uses, North Star Ice Equipment recommends the use of stainless steel ice makers and storage systems for seafood applications.