Methods for Cooling Blueberries After Harvest

Research has shown that blueberries tend to be an impulse buy for most consumers rather than a planned purchase. For this reason it is imperative that the blueberries which eventually make it to grocery stores be fresh, high quality, and visually appealing. In order to accomplish this goal the blueberries must be well cared for from planting, growth, and harvest, right on through to cooling, storage, transport, and display. The cooling and storage segment is especially important because it is during this crucial phase when the blueberries will either shrivel, rot, and decay or maintain their quality and thrive.

General Facts About Blueberries

Blueberries are commonly classified as either highbush or lowbush, with the term highbush referring to larger varieties of cultivated blueberries, including the vast majority of those commercially sold, and the term lowbush referring to smaller, wild varieties of blueberries, which are not as commonly sold. Blueberries are an early summer fruit and are highly perishable with a relatively short shelf life compared to many other types of fruits of vegetables. Depending on the weather and other conditions a blueberry field may be harvested as many as four times during the season, typically in intervals of about five to seven days. If the fields are harvested less often the result is typically over-ripe blueberries which are not as suitable for transport and sale, while harvesting more often is typically an inefficient use of labor and resources.

Blueberries are very susceptible to physical damage from careless or rough handling, picking, or mechanical harvesting. They should thus be handled very carefully and it is imperative that they be cooled rapidly and efficiently to preserve quality and extend shelf life. A successful cooling and storage system for blueberries is paramount.

General Information About Cooling and Storing Blueberries

If blueberries are allowed to remain at field harvest temperatures they are extremely perishable and will being to decline in quality very quickly. Visible signs of decay may be evident in warm, wet blueberries as soon as 12 hours or less after they have been harvested. For this reason they should never be held all day without proper cooling and storage. They should also not be picked while wet, such as immediately after or during a rainstorm, because wet blueberries are more susceptible to postharvest decay organisms such as the ones that cause gray mold and Alternaria rot. As a general rule of thumb blueberries should never go more than four hours without being cooled, but should be cooled sooner still if possible.

Respiration – Like other fruits blueberries are alive at the time of harvesting and continue to respire even after they have been picked. There is a natural rise in temperature due to this continued respiration. It has been estimated that blueberries generate about 22,000 Btu of heat per day per ton due to respiration. This is enough to raise their temperature by as much as 6°F. If that extra heat is not removed by cooling it will hasten the ripening and decay process.

Proper cooling will dramatically increase shelf life and slow the decay caused by respiration. That is because the respiration rate is directly impacted by the temperature of the blueberries. Blueberries respire at almost 20 times the rate at 80°F compared to 40°F. That means that they have almost 20 times the shelf life as well. The optimum temperature to slow respiration and increase shelf life is about 33°F to 34°F.

Humidity – Blueberries have a high water content and require a high relative humidity to remain moist and flavorful. If there is not adequate humidity in the air this can result in the blueberries becoming dried out and suffering water-related weight loss. The optimum relative humidity for blueberries is between about 90% and 95%.

Freezing – Blueberries will freeze at about 28°F. Freezing is a viable method of extending shelf life, but it must be done intentionally and quickly and the temperature should then be maintained below 0°F. Blueberries may suffer freeze damage if they are unintentionally subjected to temperatures below 28°F and then allowed to warm up again.

Correct Method of Cooling Blueberries

One of the most common cooling methods is called room cooling. In room cooling the product is placed in a refrigerated room and allowed to gradually cool to the ambient temperature. However, this method is not suitable for blueberries because the cooling rate is too slow to prevent continued degradation and quality loss. A large part of the problem is that the containers, wrappers, and plastic needed to hold the blueberries acts a kind of insulation, keeping the heat in. Room cooling not only results in inadequate cooling, but also non-uniform cooling, with some blueberries getting significantly cooler than others.

Forced-Air Cooling – The solution to this problem is forced-air cooling. In forced-air cooling, the blueberries are arranged around fans which then pull cooled air through the berries. This results in a much faster, and more uniform rate of cooling. Depending on the particular circumstances, forced-air cooling is about 16 to 20 times faster for cooling the blueberries than attempting to use still-air room cooling alone. This results in blueberries that have a much longer shelf life and which will reach the end consumer in much better condition.

For businesses that sell blueberries and blueberry products, be they farms, factories, or grocery stores, quality is of the essence. It is the quality of the product around which the business will build and maintain its reputation and keep customers coming back. SEMCO/SEMCOLD LLC can help with this crucial area by supplying industry-leading, efficient, customizable blueberry cooling equipment and systems. Our products and product lines are versatile and can be developed to suit each customer’s unique requirements.

/by

Welcome to the New SEMCO/SEMCOLD LLC Website

Welcome to the new website of SEMCO/SEMCOLD LLC. Our company provides high quality, expert cooling and freezing systems. In this news and resources section we will discuss a range of cooling and freezing solutions, tips, considerations, and general information for a range of industries and products. In this first post we want to familiarize you with what our website and company has to offer.

Customized Systems

SEMCO/SEMCOLD LLC has a full range of ice and cooling systems that are designed to assist with everything from precooling and storage, to freezing and ice products, to scales and blowers. These systems can be customized to fit each particular customer’s needs.

Cooling & Hydro Coolers – Our Arctic Rain product line delivers state-of-the-art hydrocooling, ideal for precooling vegetables and produce.

Ice Banks – Our self-contained, moving floor ice banks are ideal for portable or permanent installation and feature a wide range of ice producing and storage capabilities.

Ice Storage Bins – SEMCO/SEMCOLD LLC’s ice storage bins feature a sloped bottom for easy dispensing with mechanical ice breaking and agitation systems to ensure great ice flow.

Ice Rake Bins – SEMCO/SEMCOLD LLC’s ice rake bins are galvanized, heavy duty, and designed to virtually eliminate rake hangups.

Ice Crushers & Ice Blowers – Our ice crushers and blowers are versatile, accepting and crushing tube ice, block ice, and fragmented ice and delivering the blowing power and distance our customers need.

Scales and Pneumatic Blowers – SEMCO/SEMCOLD LLC offers reliable, highly accurate ice making scales in an array of different capacities, perfect for a range of industries. Our pneumatic ice blowers are capable of reaching an impressive 600 feet of blowing distance.

Slush Ice Cooling Systems – Our Sno Pac line of slush ice cooling systems is perfect for an assortment of different fruits, vegetables, and produce. The systems instantly cools the product with liquid ice slush, leaving behind a blanket of protective snow and ensuring perfectly chilled food.

Products Offered

SEMCO/SEMCOLD LLC Ice offers turnkey, modular fabricated products that can be customized to fit each customer’s cooling, refrigeration and ice storage needs. Our user friendly website allows visitors to browse and select products, add them to a bid package, and build their own ice system from the ground up. The combinations and possibilities can be selected for tailored price quotes and product information.

Industries Served

SEMCO/SEMCOLD LLC serves several major industries and sectors including: produce, seafood, meat & poultry and even entertainment. The industries we serve may be varied, but rest assured that SEMCO/SEMCOLD LLC takes the time to understand the concerns, advantages, and challenges inherent in each of these industries.

Mobile Friendly

SEMCO/SEMCOLD LLC’s new website is mobile friendly. Whether you are looking up information on your smartphone, checking out the website from a tablet, or scrolling through on a desktop or laptop we want you to have a great user experience and find all the information and resources you need.

/by

How Slush Ice Systems Serve the Food Industry

Slush ice systems play a critical role in the US and global Food Industry. They help maintain the quality of food while adapting to a range of different demands, needs, and concerns. Slush ice systems are also very versatile and are used in a diverse range of environments such as fishing boats, warehouses, industrial facilities, and more. In this article we’ll highlight some of the key ways slush ice systems serve the food industry as well as what capabilities these systems feature.

What Is Slush?

Slush ice is a mixture of tiny ice crystals and water. The tiny ice crystals are essentially snow ice and together with the water they form a liquid slurry. Slush may be intentionally created with the use of machinery and human intervention or it may occur naturally in nature as a result of partially melted ice and snow.

How Do Slush Ice Systems Benefit Food?

Slush ice systems are used extensively in the food industry for many different types of food including fruits, vegetables, and other produce, as well as fish, shellfish, poultry and other meats. Slush ice systems bring a number of important benefits to these foods including:

Prevention of Spoilage – Many types of food, particularly fish and seafood begin to go bad almost immediately if they are not iced down as soon as they are caught. This makes slush and ice systems crucial because without them the food product would never be able to reach end consumers without spoiling

Extension of Shelf Life – Not only do slush systems help prevent spoilage, but in many cases they can dramatically extend shelf life. This makes it possible for grocery stores to display food longer and gives consumers more time to eat it after it’s been purchased.

Preserves Taste – Another major benefit to food from slush ice systems is that slush ice helps maintain freshness and preserve taste. Some slush ice systems use salt in the water, which can affect the food’s taste and raise sodium levels. However, many slush ice systems, including SEMCO/SEMCOLD LLC’s Sno Pac line, do not use any salt at all, thereby preserving the purity of the taste.

Protects Nutrients – Slush ice systems also benefit the growing consumer trend toward healthier, more nutritious food choices because slush ice helps lock in nutrients and vitamins and keeps food healthy and natural without the addition of chemicals or preservatives.

What Are the Advantages of Slush over Block or Cubed Ice?

Many of the advantages discussed above are true of ice systems in general. However, slush ice does have some important advantages over non-slush ice such as block ice, cubed ice, etc. Slush ice is able to fully surrounding a food product and cool it very quickly and effectively. The liquid slush is able to get into all crevices and open spaces, ensuring a full, even cooling. Slush ice systems are also very versatile and can be used in a range of different settings for various different needs and purposes.

What Capabilities Do Slush Ice Systems Have?

Easy Drainage – Slush can be easily drained by using boxes and containers with an open, grated bottom. After instantly cooling the food, the water will simply drain through while leaving a blanket of protective snow on the food.

High Capacity – Slush ice systems are available in a full range of different capacity and flow rates. They can effectively be utilized even for industries and settings that demand a very high capacity.

Continuous Flow – Some slush ice systems also feature a continuous flow. This allows the machine to operate steadily and often in an automated fashion by utilizing conveyor belts and automatic dispensers.

Energy Efficient – Energy costs are a concern for most industrial and commercial businesses. Many slush ice systems have been specifically designed with this concern in mind and operate economically and at peak efficiency levels.

Superior Safety – Slush ice systems are also designed to carefully keep all circuitry and electronic components away from the actual water and ice, thereby keeping users safe.

Recapture Systems – Many slush ice systems also employ a recapture system to collect and recycle the used water and ice. This helps keep the system operating as efficiently and economically as possible.

SEMCO/SEMCOLD LLC has a range of slush ice systems that it sells through its Sno Pac line of products. These systems have been carefully designed and developed to maximize quality, efficiency, and safety. Our units are available in a range of different capacities and can be customized to fit just about any customer’s slush ice needs.

/0 Comments/by

Produce That Benefits Most from Hydrocooling

Proper cooling is essential for almost any type of produce in order to ensure that quality is preserved as fruits and vegetables begin their journey to the end consumer. Here at SEMCO/SEMCOLD LLC, we offer many different kinds of cooling systems and different cooling methods are better suited to different types of produce. In this article let’s take a look at hydrocooling and the produce that benefits most from this method.

Hydrocooling-Produce

Why Produce Cooling Is So Important

Good produce cooling is important for a number of reasons. Field heat, or the ambient temperature that permeates a plant while it is growing, can have many detrimental effects that begin to affect the produce as soon as it is harvested. These include wilting due to water loss, rapid cellular respiration that leads to softening, and high levels of ethylene production, which can make the fruit overripe. In addition, warmer temperatures are more hospitable to decay-causing microorganisms such as molds and bacteria.

Proper cooling as soon as the crop is picked can slow, delay, or even prevent many of these undesirable processes. It is important to ensure that field heat is rapidly dissipated as soon as possible after the produce has been harvested. This keeps fruits and vegetables fresher for longer, decreasing the urgency to sell and improving overall quality once it is purchased.

Hydrocooling Basics

Hydrocooling is a cooling method in which produce is directly cooled by chilled, near-freezing water. This cold water runs over the fruits and vegetables, quickly dropping their temperature and eliminating problems due to heat. The water is cooled either with ice, a refrigeration system, or a system specially designed for hydrocooling.

The Advantages of Hydrocooling

There are many benefits to hydrocooling. One of the biggest is that it is very rapid; water transfers heat away from food up to 15 times more rapidly than air does. Hydrocooling systems can be designed for a range of operation sizes, capable of handling both small loads and very large ones. Also, hydrocooling helps prevent moisture loss in produce, ensuring that the fruits and vegetables will not dry out—a common concern with some other types of cooling systems.

In addition, depending on the design of the system, hydrocooling can also act as a way to partially wash the produce. This is not true, however, for hydrocooling systems where the water is recirculated without being purified. These are a few of the reasons why hydrocooling is a popular option among produce growers.









Important Considerations for Hydrocooling

A number of factors should be taken into account when trying to decide if hydrocooling is the best option for a crop. One of the biggest is concern about rot and disease. Although colder temperatures discourage decay, wet environments are friendly to microorganisms, meaning that some of the disease-prevention benefits of cooling can be reduced. For many types of produce, this difference is negligible, but foods that are especially susceptible to disease should not be hydrocooled.

In addition, the type of packaging should also be considered. Hydrocooling should be avoided for packages that are not water permeable, preventing the water from flowing inside and around the produce. Also, the packages must be designed to drain well, so that the water does not collect and pool in the storage area. Mesh bags, bulk bins, and wire crates are well-suited for hydrocooling; palletized produce can be hydrocooled if it is stacked correctly.

Finally, it is important to note that hydrocooling is primarily a pre-cooling method meant to remove field heat rapidly. Hydrocooling is not advisable as a standalone cooling method because at lower temperature it is not energy efficient. Hydrocooling is often done in conjunction with room cooling or forced-air cooling.

Best Produce for Hydrocooling

There are many types of fruits and vegetables that respond particularly well to hydrocooling. These include:

  • Apricots
  • Peaches
  • Plums
  • Nectarines
  • Cantaloupe
  • Apples
  • Pears
  • Cherries
  • Spinach
  • Lettuce
  • Endive and other greens
  • Leeks and Green Onions
  • Asparagus
  • Broccoli
  • Snap Beans
  • Pea Pods
  • Brussel Sprouts
  • Cauliflower
  • Turnips
  • Cucumbers
  • Corn

Foods that should not be hydrocooled include those that are highly susceptible to wetting, such as berries, potatoes, bulb onions, and garlic. This type of cooling should also be avoided for citrus fruits, mushrooms, grapes, and squash. For information regarding cooling methods for particular types of produce be sure to check out our past articles.

SEMCO/SEMCOLD LLC Designs Great Hydrocooling Systems

Here at SEMCO/SEMCOLD LLC, we are proud to offer a wide variety of cooling solutions to our clients with our specialty design, manufacture, and installation services. Hydrocooling is just one excellent option for keeping your produce fresh and your quality high. Contact us for more information regarding the system that is best for your crop.

DSC01430

/by