Fish Cooling and the Pros and Cons of Shell Ice

Keeping your fish properly stored and cooled is extremely important to your livelihood if you are a fisherman. If your catch isn’t kept at a proper temperature it can spoil, which results in wasted goods and loss of income. There are a number of cooling methods, and shell ice is one way to keep your catch accurately cooled. SEMCO/SEMCOLD LLC can help you decide what storage solutions work best for your industrial cooling system.

Pros of Using Shell Ice

One of the biggest pros of using shell ice is that it lasts longer than many other forms, making it ideal for longer fishing trips or for boats that may encounter bad weather that can inadvertently lengthen the days at sea. Research has shown that shell ice can remain workable for seven days. As with all ice, shrinkage of shell ice occurs over time, but less so than with many other types.

Ice in general is the preferred cooling method on commercial boats, as it is cost-effective, versatile, and works to cool the fish right away. It also doesn’t bring in potentially toxic or foreign chemical agents, which keeps the fish safe for consumers.

Cons of Using Shell Ice

While shell ice can be beneficial in many situations, there are some cons to using it. Towards the end of seven days, the ice can be quite dirty. This can affect the quality of the fish and may even make it unusable if too much of the dirt and grime contacts the fish.

If fully surrounding the fish is necessary, other types of ice such as slush ice may be better in order to cool the product effectively and quickly. Shell ice, and any type of ice, is also not as effective with seafood that needs to stay alive, such as lobster and crab. Ice can help keep the product cool in an indirect way, but cool seawater is typically the most effective cooling method in that situation. There are a number of alternate cooling products that SEMCO/SEMCOLD LLC offers for such occasions.

Planning for Your Trip is Crucial

A good fisherman knows that part of a successful fishing voyage is the planning process. Running out of ice part way through the trip can ruin the product and make the journey a waste. It is crucial that you take into consideration the amount of storage space that you will need for ice. Relevant factors include the length of the trip, the size of the boat, how much fish you plan on catching, and whether the boat has ice-making capabilities on board.

How much ice you take on the trip will also depend on what type of fish is being caught. Small, medium, and large fish all have different ice considerations and you should plan accordingly. You also want to take into account the local ambient temperatures so that you can anticipate ice loss due to heat gain in containers or hold. The fish market should also be a consideration. Fish that are of high value, such as bluefin or yellowfin tuna, swordfish, or mahi mahi, have stringent icing requirements compared to fish meant for local consumption.

The type of storage available will also determine how much ice is needed. The sizes of the hold space as well as the fact if it is insulated or not will make a big difference. One way to know if you have estimated the correct amount of ice is to measure it at the end of every trip. After all of the fish has been taken out, there should be some ice left over.

Make sure that your fishing expedition is successful by using the right cooling system. SEMCO/SEMCOLD LLC has a number of shell ice systems that can be designed and customized for your boat’s size and your fishing needs. Contact us for more information.

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Guide to Cooling and Storing Melons

Melons are highly regarded around the world for their delicious, sweet tastes. Botanically they are classified as a type of berry, making them a fruit; however, some types of melons are used as a culinary vegetable depending on the melon, dish, and other circumstances. Melons are also popular in various types of drinks and beverages. Regardless of how they will ultimately be consumed, quality and freshness are key factors and begin with proper cooling and storage methods. Let’s take a look at best post-harvest cooling and storage methods for several types of melons including cantaloupes, honey dews, casabas, Persian, crenshaw, and watermelon.

Cooling Information for Cantaloupes and Persian Melons

Cantaloupes, sometimes also spelled “cantelope” or “cantaloup” are the most popular type of melon in the United States. They are very closely related to Persian melons with both belonging to a group of melons known as muskmelons. Their scientific name is Cucumis melo cantalupensis and they are considered different cultivars of the same species. Persian melons are slightly larger than cantaloupes and have a slightly darker green rind, both have orange flesh. The following information applies most directly to cantaloupes but is similar for Persian melons.

Harvesting – Cantaloupes are typically harvest at either “full slip” or “¾ slip.” This refers to their ripeness and sugar levels. At full slip the cantaloupes will separate cleanly from the vine, while at 3/4 slip there will be noticeable but not full separation. Full slip fruit are sweeter and more flavorful but do not last as long after harvest. By contrast a ¾ slip fruit is usually considered sweet enough to harvest and will have a longer shelf life.

Shelf Life – Full slip cantaloupes have a shelf life of about 5 to 14 days after harvest. By contrast a ¾ slip cantaloupe will last about 15 to 21 days after harvest under ideal conditions.

Handling – Cantaloupes are prone to fungal rot after harvesting. To reduce or prevent this problem they are often submerged in hot water, about 120°F- 130°F, for 1-2 minutes. They should then be dried and cooled as quickly as possible to maintain quality.

Temperature – Cantaloupes should be stored at a temperature of about 36°F-41°F. Lower temperatures will risk chill damage while higher temperatures may be insufficient to adequately reduce respiration and decay.

Humidity – Cantaloupes should be stored at a relative humidity of about 95%. Lower humidity levels will risk dehydration.

Forced-Air Cooling – For best results cantaloupes should be cooled with the forced-air cooling method. This involves placing them in a refrigerated room and forcing air ventilation around them to more rapidly cool them than room cooling alone could achieve.

Cooling Information for Honeydew and Other Muskmelons

After cantaloupes the most popular and widely known type of muskmelon in the United States is the honeydew melon. Like cantaloupes and Persian melons, honeydew melons are a type of muskmelon. Honeydew belongs to the species Cucumis melo inodorus. Along with honeydew other varieties of muskmelons in this species include casaba melons and crenshaw melons. Honeydew melons are known for their green flesh and are somewhat smaller than cantaloupes. The following cooling information most directly applies to honeydew melons but is similar for casaba melons, crenshaw melons, and other melons of the Cucumis melo inodorus variety.

Harvesting – Honeydew melons do not separate from the vine in the same way that cantaloupe slip levels can be determined. Instead honeydew melons are harvested when their ground color changes from green and fuzzy to creamy white and waxy. Ripe honeydew may also have yellow accents on their rinds.

Shelf Life – Under optimal conditions honeydew melons may have a shelf life of up to 3 weeks.

Temperature – Honeydew melons do not require temperatures as cold as cantaloupes. About 45°F is optimal.

Humidity – Honeydew melons also do not require quite as high a relative humidity as cantaloupes. About 85%-90% is optimal.

Forced-Air Cooling – Like cantaloupes, honeydew melons should be cooled using the forced-air method. Room cooling alone may take too long to sufficiently lower the honeydews’ temperature to prevent premature decay.

Cooling Information for Watermelons

Watermelons are not muskmelons and are not as closely related to cantaloupes, honeydew, and other melons mentioned in this article as those melons are to each other. Watermelons belong to the Citrullus lanatus species. They have a smooth, hard rind that is usually green with darker green stripes. Inside their flesh is typically a deep red. Some varieties of watermelons may have yellow spots on their rinds and may have pink, orange, or white flesh. Both seeded and seedless varieties exist and watermelon size and weight varies. Different varieties may call for slightly different care but in general the following is true for watermelon cooling and harvesting.

Harvesting – Watermelon are harvested when the portion of the melon resting on the ground changes from a pale white to a creamy yellow. The vine tendril attached to the watermelon will also often begin to wilt and seeded varieties will have usually developed hardened seed coats.

Shelf Life – Watermelons typically last about 2-3 weeks after harvest.

Temperature – Watermelons require warmer temperatures than cantaloupes and honeydew with a range of about 50°F-59°F yielding a shelf life of about 2 weeks and a range of about 45°F-50°F yielding a shelf life of about 3 weeks. However, temperatures at and below 45°F may result in chill damage and should be avoided.

Humidity – Watermelons should be kept in an environment with a relative humidity of about 85%-90% to prevent dehydration.

Room Cooling – Room cooling is typically sufficient to cool watermelons. This involves placing them in a refrigerated room or cooler and allowing them to naturally adjust to ambient temperatures.

SEMCO/SEMCOLD LLC provides high quality, customizable cooling and storage solutions for melons and produce. Regardless of the particular type of melon our customers need to cool and store we can develop a personalized system that best meets their needs and priorities. Our goal is to help our customers get fresh, delicious melons into stores and onto consumers’ plates.

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Best Cooling and Storage for Large Fish

Large fish occupy a very important economic role with a major segment of the commercial fishing industry dedicated to catching them. On a per fish basis large fish also have a much higher value than small or medium-sized fish and thus represent a much more significant investment. It is crucial to properly cool and store them after catching so that they can later be sold at full value and safely consumed. Let’s take a look at some common large fish, special considerations when cooling and storing large fish, and best methods and practices.

Types of Large Fish and Their Role

The term “large fish” is fairly subjective in that it might mean different things to different fishermen and there may not be a clear cutoff between large and medium-sized varieties. However, for the most part the many species of tuna and marlin are considered to be large fish, along with other sizable fish such as mahi mahi, halibut, and cod to name just a few.

Large fish are very popular in part because large fillets of meat can be harvested from them and make ideal steaks. Smaller pieces of meat may also be used for a variety of dishes and even fish byproducts such as oil may generate value. As such large fish are important to the economy of coastal towns all over the world.

Special Considerations for Cooling Large Fish

To understand how best to cool large fish it is necessary to understand the ways that large fish vary from their small or medium counterparts. First, large fish have very thick bodies and their meat is often beneath layers of insulating fat. That increased thickness and insulation results in much slower cooling times than are seen with small or medium sized fish. Thus it is important for fishermen to act quickly and efficiently to begin the cooling process immediately after the fish are caught.

While the thickness and insulation are a drawback for rapid cooling, the preservation of large fish does have a significant advantage over the preservation of smaller species: surface area. Relative to their weight, large fish have a much smaller surface area than littler fish. This is easy to understand when one considers that for small fish nearly all of their meat is right beneath the surface; whereas for large fish much of the meat is deeper and further away from the skin surface. The reason that this is so significant is because surface areas are the most vulnerable to spoilage, thus giving the large fish an edge in preservation.

Another advantage for large fish cooling is that just as their larger, thicker nature slows down the cooling process it also slows down the rewarming process. Thus large fish hold onto low temperatures for longer once they reach suitable levels. On the downside, however, is the fact that because large fish are so big there is also more of a risk of a temperature gradient existing with some parts of the fish cooler or warmer than others. By contrast small fish typically cool uniformly through and through.

Preparing the Large Fish for Cooling and Storage

The considerations mentioned above mean that it is much more difficult to adequately cool large fish by merely placing ice against their outer surface. Instead it is recommended that prior to placing them in the hull and icing them, the large fish first be gutted. This of course removes undesirable mass that does not need to be cooled, but much more significantly it creates another major access point for the ice or chilled seawater. Once the fish have been gutted their bellies can be directly filled with ice, thus providing cooling from both their internal and external surfaces.

Cooling with Flake Ice and Chilled Seawater

Research data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) shows that only two types of commonly used cooling methods are effective enough to rapidly cool large fish within the time window needed for safe preservation: chilled seawater (CSW) and flake ice. As such these two methods should be used on commercial vessels.

SEMCO/SEMCOLD LLC understands the vital role large fish play in the economic lives of our fishing clients. We are committed to providing top quality, dependable cooling and storage systems that are great for use with large fish. All of our systems are custom designed to best fit the needs of the particular client. Let us help you keep your large fish cool and fresh.

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Effective Storing and Cooling of Bananas

Bananas are a popular dessert fruit and cooking starch all over the world. However, they are typically grown in tropic and subtropic regions and must thus be shipped to consumers in cooler climates. This makes proper storage and cooling a major consideration since the process often requires the fruit to spend long times in cargo containers. Let’s take a look at some facts about bananas and their varieties, the difference between bananas and plantains, uses for bananas, and factors that affect optimal banana cooling and storage.

Banana Facts, Varieties, and Terminology

All bananas and plantains belong to the scientific genus Musa and most modern seedless bananas are cultivars of the species Musa acuminata or the species Musa balbisiana. Botanically bananas are considered a berry and while many people think of banana plants as being trees due to their large size, they are in fact herbaceous plants. Bananas have no true trunk or stem, but rather have psuedostems that consist of tightly packed leaves. Banana plants range in height from about 10 feet tall to about 23 feet tall, with most cultivars averaging around 16 feet tall. They are perennials which die off every year, but leave behind offshoots capable of propagating the species. Different varieties may have yellow, green, brown, red, or purple rinds.

In the Europe, the United States, and the rest of the Americas the term “banana” is commonly used for the dessert variety that is eaten raw, while the term “plantain” is commonly used for the starchier variety that is used for cooking. However, many more varieties of bananas exist in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands and as such there is more overlap between the two and native languages don’t distinguish between them.

The term banana is believed to have originated from the Wolof language of west Africa which uses the word “banaana.” From there it entered English via Spanish or Portuguese.

The Many Uses for Bananas

Bananas are commonly eaten as dessert fruit or blended into smoothies, juices, and ice cream as flavoring. They may also be dried and eaten in foods like granola or used to create banana bread. They are often used in cooking where they represent a significant source of starch for many cultures and cuisines. They may be thinly sliced and fried or baked into banana chips or even fermented into banana beer.

In addition to their use as food, banana leaves are sometimes harvested to make textiles, paper, and other household fabric uses like table cloths. Banana fibers are even used for making Japanese kimonos. Finally, they are also appreciated as a decorative plant.

General Information About Cooling and Storing Bananas

Bananas that ripen on the tree only have a shelf life of about 7–10 days. However, this is generally considered too short a shelf life to be viable for mass market exportation. As such bananas are instead picked green, kept from ripening by careful storage methods, and artificially ripened once they reach their destination.

Temperature – Bananas are typically stored at about 56°F-58°F for long-term storage and transport. Once they are ready for ripening they are warmed slightly to about 59°F-68°F. Bananas should not be subjected to temperatures below 55°F because they are very susceptible to chill damage with green fruit actually more vulnerable than ripe fruit.

Relative Humidity – Optimum relative humidity is about 90%-95%.

Handling – Bananas should be very carefully handled. Dropping them, scuffing them, or bruising them will damage the fruit, could contribute to water loss, and may also cause premature decay.

Shelf Life – The shelf life of bananas will vary significantly based on harvest conditions and storage conditions. Tree ripened fruit only lasts about 7-10 days while fruit picked green and cooled and stored correctly typically lasts about 3-4 weeks. Bananas that undergo controlled atmospheric conditions may even last up to 40 days, or almost 6 weeks.

Controlled Storage Conditions for Bananas

Ethylene is the primary banana ripening agent and plays an extremely important role in commercial processes. Green bananas are often picked, placed and stored in polyethylene bags with carbon dioxide levels raised to about 5% and oxygen levels lowered to about 2%. They are also often stored with potassium permanganate. When ethylene is released by the bananas during storage, it is absorbed by the potassium permanganate thereby preventing ripening.

Once the bananas reach their intended market they are artificially ripened by exposing them to ethylene for about 24-48 hours. The rind of ripe yellow bananas will rapidly develop black spots and brown. However, the fruit inside remains unaffected and suitable for consumption for longer. Fruit that are still partially green when purchased may be ripened more rapidly in-home by placing them in paper bags overnight with high-ethylene producers like apples or tomatoes. SEMCO/SEMCOLD LLC designs high quality produce cooling and storage systems that will help keep bananas fresh and delicious.

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Overview of Post Harvest Cooling Methods

The world relies on agriculture to provide life-sustaining, nutritious, and delicious produce. However, while most people intuitively understand the importance of growing an ample supply of fresh fruits and vegetables, many people don’t understand or discount the importance of proper post-harvest cooling, storage, and transport.

Even locally grown produce will rapidly lose quality and decay if it is not successfully cooled and stored after harvest. Meanwhile consumption of more exotic foods that only grow in particular regions of the world would be completely untenable without good storage and cooling. Good storage and cooling is about much more than simply tossing the produce in a cooler or using a refrigerated truck to ship them – though these methods are often important and effective too; good post-harvest cooling requires careful judgement and the use of sophisticated methods to select the best approach for any given type of food. Let’s take a look at the most common post-harvest cooling methods.

Room Cooling

Room cooling is one of the most popular, widely understood cooling methods and it is likely what people imagine when they think of industrial produce cooling. With this method the produce to be cooled is simply placed in a refrigerated room such as a cooler and allowed to naturally acclimate to ambient temperatures. However, modern coolers are carefully designed to closely regulate temperatures, airflow, humidity and often a host of other environmental factors that give the produce their best chance at maximum preservation and shelf life. Room cooling is most effective for produce that does not need to rapidly reach its minimum cooling temperature or which has already been pre-cooled using another method. Room cooling is commonly used for crops such as potatoes, onions, and citrus.

Forced-Air Cooling

Forced-air cooling is a type of modified and expanded room cooling method. As with room cooling the produce is placed in a refrigerated room or cooler. However, forced-air cooling adds one or more fans that are designed to circulate – or force – cool air throughout the produce. This is important because it results in a much more rapid cooling than room cooling alone could accomplish, thus making it effective for produce that requires lower temperatures sooner after harvest to maintain peak quality.

An important feature of forced-air cooling is that the fans pull air through the produce rather than pushing it past them, which helps minimize associated dehydration. Nevertheless, forced-air cooling often requires close monitoring and a humidifying system to prevent dehydration. Good airflow is essential for forced-air cooling and thus the produce must not be too closely packed together. Forced-air cooling is commonly used for crops such as berries, tomatoes, bell peppers, and many more.

Hydrocooling

Hydrocooling is a type of pre-cooling method that involves rapidly submerging the produce in near freezing water. Hydrocooling is considered a “pre-cooling” method because with hydrocooling the goal isn’t to lower the produce to its final cooling temperature; the goal is to quickly remove field heat and prepare the produce for additional cooling with another method such as forced-air cooling or room cooling.

Hydrocooling is also effective to help the produce retain moisture and stay hydrated. It is extremely effective for pre-cooling, but due to the high cooling load, especially to achieve cooling at lower temperatures, it is not appropriate for total cooling. Hydrocooling is often used with berries, corn, broccoli, cauliflower, and many more.

Packing Ice

Packing ice involves physically cooling the produce by directly applying ice to it. This is an effective method of removing field heat as well as providing short-term cooling for transport or temporary display. The melting ice also hydrates the produce with is often very beneficial. Packing ice also has the advantage of being quick, easy, and simple.

However, packing ice is not appropriate for all types of produce. Some delicate produce may be physically damaged by ice or could suffer from over-hydration. Packing ice is also not efficient for longer-term cooling and storage. Packing ice is often used for spinach, green onions, leeks, Brussels sprouts, and others.

Vacuum Cooling

Vacuum cooling is a cooling method that utilizes low pressure to cool the produce through evaporative cooling. As the pressure is lowered the water evaporates thereby cooling the produce. Vacuum cooling is one of the most rapid and uniform methods of cooling as long as the produce being cooled readily releases water. It is suitable for most types of leafy greens, but not suitable for produce that has a water barrier.

Hydrovac Cooling

Hydrovac cooling is a combination of vacuum cooling and hydrocooling. Just prior to the “flash point” when the water evaporates from the produce additional cold water is added. This helps prevent dehydration and a loss of water weight. However, it is one of the most expensive methods of cooling and requires a sophisticated setup.

Selecting the best cooling method for a given type of produce is the key to maximizing the food’s quality, taste, freshness, and shelf life. Shelf life and quality retention over time naturally vary among different types of produce, but using the most effective post harvest method provides a major advantage. SEMCO/SEMCOLD LLC designs and supplies high quality, dependable industrial cooling and storage solutions that are suitable for a full range of different types of produce.

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Medium-Size Fish Cooling Methods

The proper cooling and storage of fish is crucial to prevent spoilage and the economic loss associated with wasted product. This means that commercial fishermen must carefully plan their fishing trips and consider the best cooling and storage methods for the particular type of fish that they will be catching. In past articles looked at factors that affect the cooling and storage of small fish as well as those same factors for large fish. In today’s article let’s turn our attention to cooling and storage methods for medium-size fish.

The Many Different Types of Medium-Size Fish

The term “medium-size fish” is imprecise by nature and may mean different things to different people. There is no clear boundary between very small fish and their slightly larger cousins or between large, several-hundred-pound fish and their double, or barely single digit counterparts. However, in general the term “medium-size fish” can be applied to many of the several different species of carp, salmon, mackerel, tilapia, cod, and others. These fish form a crucial economic niche in the communities that fish them. They also form the basis for many of the most popular and enjoyed recipes and dishes throughout the country, both in public restaurants and private homes.

Special Considerations for Medium-Size Fish

In many ways medium-size fish offer the perfect balance of the pros and cons of cooling and storing small- or large-size fish. For example compared to large-size fish they will more readily cool evenly, avoiding temperature gradients and vulnerability to potential spoilage in warmer spots. However, like larger fish they will maintain their temperatures more easily and for longer than small fish, avoiding rapid spoilage. Naturally, however, these traits appear along a spectrum and medium-size fish that tend toward the larger or smaller side will also possess many of the same cooling pros and cons of the truly large or truly small fish. This makes it extremely important for fishermen to be aware of the particular type of fish they are dealing with and to use best cooling methods appropriate for that particular size species.

The Effective Use of Ice and Chilled Seawater

Ice is the preferred cooling media on many commercial fishing vessels. That is because ice is economical and readily available, works to immediately begin cooling the fish, provides added moisture for the fish, and does not introduce any foreign chemical or potentially toxic or contaminating agents.

Another popular alternative is chilled seawater. Chilled seawater can be taken directly from the surrounding water, chilled and processed, and used to preserve freshly caught fish. A major advantage is that the seawater is so readily available, does not require pre-storage, and has a composition already likely to be safe and suitable for the fish.

Finally, both ice and chilled seawater provide very effective, thorough cooling. Chilled seawater and flake or slush ice is able to completely surround the fish and enter its crevices and orifices. Larger ice such as block ice should be crushed prior to use.

Planning Ahead for Best Results

As with most endeavors, particularly commercial ones, the key to success is largely in planning ahead. Commercial fishermen who are about to embark on a fishing trip for medium-size, as well as other size, fish should consider the following:

Factors to Consider

  • Type of fish being caught
  • Type of ice being used
  • Fishing conditions
  • Length of trip
  • Estimated haul
  • Cargo space
  • Equipment and resources needed

The type of fish being caught is key to understanding and estimating its likely weight and cooling considerations. Meanwhile the type of ice that will be used is crucial for making proper arrangements, particularly if block ice will be used and the fishermen will have to plan for crushing. Ice type is also important in determining the amount of ice needed since certain types of ice, for example flake ice, will melt much more rapidly than others such as block ice. Likewise the length of the trip – both in terms of time and geographic distance – is key to determining the amount of ice that will be needed.

Fishing conditions such as the climate and time of year are also crucial for determining the fish’s expected starting temperature and the ease of reaching and maintaining safe temperature levels. The cargo space available is key for determining a suitable ice-to-fish ratio while the equipment and other resources needed for the trip must also be factored in since they will affect how much space is left over for fish or ice and perhaps also budgetary considerations.

SEMCO/SEMCOLD LLC understands that when it comes to cooling systems for medium-size fish no two situations are identical. We custom design our cooling systems to best meet the needs of each of our clients and to ensure that their fish stay cool, safe, and fresh. Please contact us to discuss your particular cooling and storage needs.

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Post-Harvest Celery Cooling

Celery is almost synonymous with crisp, fresh food. It is often added to dishes to provide a crunchy texture or it may be used as a fresh, edible garnish for drinks, dips, and other tasty treats. However, while celery is naturally fresh and firm in order to keep it that way proper harvesting, handling, cooling, and storage methods must be carefully observed. Let’s take a closer look at celery and the factors that affect its quality.

General Facts About Celery

The celery species is Apium graveolens var. dulce and it is a member of the apiaceae plant family. Celery is most often associated with its leaf stalks, called petioles, and these stalks have been selectively bred to be long, wide, and solid. However, in addition to the stalks, celery leaves may also be consumed in salads or soups, or dried into herbs. Celery seeds also make a popular seasoning. They are often ground up and combined with salt to form “celery salt;” although, they may also be used for their oil, which is a common and useful ingredient in various pharmaceuticals and perfumes.

Celery forms the foundation of many culinary and cuisine styles including cajun and creole cooking as well as French mirepoix. Celery is also common in a wide range of soups including traditional chicken soup recipes.

Nutritional Facts About Celery

Celery is often falsely purported to be a negative calorie food – that is a food that takes more calories to digest than are yielded from digestion, thus resulting in a net calorie loss. However, this is false. Scientific study indicates that a typical stalk of celery provides about 6 calories and only takes about .5 calories to digest, thus yielding a net calorie gain, not loss, of about 5 and a half calories. However, while celery is not calorie negative, it is nevertheless a useful and common component of many low-calorie diets because it provides low calorie mass that often helps satisfy hunger with few additional calories.

Celery Allergies

Many people are highly allergic to celery and can suffer deadly anaphylactic shock if they consume even trace amounts. The allergy is so severe that the reaction may occur even from food that was merely processed on equipment that was also used with celery. The allergy is more common in Europe than in North America. In fact the European Union requires that all foods that may contain celery or have come into contact with equipment that touched celery be labeled with a warning in much the same way that peanut warnings are required in the US.

General Information About Cooling and Storing Celery

Celery has a long shelf life and maintains its quality quite well when it is properly handled, cooled, and stored. The following are key factors:

Harvest – Celery should be harvested using sharp blades to prevent damage to the stalk. It should also be quickly pre-cooled to remove field temperatures and sanitized to remove bacteria, fungi, and pathogens which may hasten decay.

Temperature – Celery should be stored at a temperature of about 32°F to 36°F and is not prone to chill damage unless temperatures drop below 31.1°F.

Relative Humidity – Celery has a very high water content and thus also needs a very high relative humidity to avoid shriveling and weight loss, which also compromises texture and firmness. A relative humidity of about 98%-100% or full saturation is desired for maximum crispness.

Storage – Celery is usually stored in stalk bunches with all or most of the leaves removed. It may also be sorted and graded based on its quality, color, size, and other factors.

Shelf Life – Under ideal conditions fresh, non-frozen celery may last up to 1-3 months.

Methods of Cooling Celery

The following cooling methods are common and effective for proper celery cooling:

Hydrocooling – Celery is often pre-cooled using the hydrocooling method, which involves removing field heat by rapidly submerging the celery in near-freezing water.

Hydrovac Cooling – Hydrovac cooling involves vacuum cooling – increasing the pressure until water evaporates – while also adding additional chilled water to prevent dehydration and moisture loss.

Forced-air Cooling – Forced-air cooling involves pulling cold air through the celery, thereby forcing circulation and ensuring more rapid cooling than would be possible with room cooling alone.

Proper cooling and storage of celery is key for ensuring maximum taste, quality, and freshness. SEMCO/SEMCOLD LLC designs and installs high quality, dependable produce cooling and storage systems that are ideal for use with celery and other vegetables. Our systems are fully customizable to ensure that every clients gets the exact right system for their particular needs. Please contact us for additional information.

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Best Cooling and Storage for Crabs

For those in the crabbing industry, cooling and storing live crabs can be a tricky process. Since many businesses have to order the crustaceans and may not be able to cook them right away, proper storage is crucial to keep them alive and fresh. To do this, a proper and specific environment is required. Here are some of the best cooling and storage for crabs to guide you in the process.

Why Do They Have to Be Alive?

When a crab dies, it releases toxins into its body. These toxins permeate the meat and render it unfit for human consumption. It is always best to use the crustaceans immediately, though for many industrial and commercial markets, this is not an option. The best cooling and storage for crabs is to keep them in their proper, controlled and oxygenated environment. This can help extend their lifespan until you are ready to eat or use them.

How to Keep Crabs Alive

If you are unable to use your crab immediately when caught there are a few options to keeping them alive. The first step is to make sure they stay wet and cool. As soon as they caught they need to be put in a cool, shaded environment out of direct sunlight and properly hydrated.

Make Sure There’s Plenty of Oxygen

Make sure the crustaceans are never fully submerged in water for long periods of time. This will cause them to die. Just as humans, they need oxygen to survive which they cannot get if they are completely submerged in a container of water. It is also essential to never put them in a sealed container such as a cooler for long periods of time without adequate air. If you have a holding cage or are near the body of water where they were caught, take advantage of this and keep them stored in those areas. One of the best cooling and storage for crabs is to purchase an electric aerator. This device can help keep the crustaceans oxygenated and pump air into their water where they are stored.

Keep them Stored in a Cool Environment

The crustaceans also need to be stored in an environment at 48 to 58 degrees. Lower temperatures will also reduce the crabs’ metabolic rate and decrease their need for oxygen and their sensitivity to inideal conditions. The key is to maintain a cool, moist and dark environment to keep the craps alive and comfortable. If you are storing them in an industrial cooler, make sure they are not sealed in for long periods of time and that they have access to oxygen. For the best cooling and storage for crabs, a sealed bag of ice can be placed on top or on the bottom of them to keep them cool. However, make sure the drain is open to let the excess water out.

Adjust the Moisture Levels

If you need to store them in a walk-in box or refrigerator, it is crucial to make adjustments to the moisture level and temperature. They must have oxygen and moisture in order to survive. If this is depleted from the refrigerator, several if not all the crustaceans might die. For the best cooling and storage for crabs, it is essential to keep them stored in fresh, cold salt water, preferably taken from the environment where they were originally from to ensure that it has the correct composition of minerals and elements. If this isn’t possible, basic salt water will work in the short term as long as you keep them oxygenated.

Keep Crabs Alive and Fresh for Best Results

Now that you know the tips and tricks for the best cooling and storage for crabs, you can be better prepared for keeping them alive and fresh. The key is to make sure they do not die, as they will release their toxins and the meat will no longer be suitable for consumption. SEMCO/SEMCOLD LLC designs and manufactures high quality, dependable cooling and storage systems that are ideal for use with live crabs.

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Methods for Cooling Pineapples after Harvest

The pineapple is a delicious and versatile fruit. It can be eaten for enjoyment as well as medical purposes and its leaves can be converted for different uses. Its fresh, ripe taste has helped it to spread across the world, though it is primarily grown in its native region. With its specific ripening qualities, proper cooling and storage are critical to maintaining the fruit. Take a look at some general facts about pineapples and effective cooling and storing methods.

General Facts About Pineapples

Pineapples are tropical fruits that originated from South America and are currently mass produced in different areas, including Brazil, the Philippines, Thailand and Costa Rica. Within the United States, Hawaii is known for producing a smaller hybrid version of the fruit. They were originally given the name “pineapple” in 1398 due to their resemblance to the pine cone. They take a while to flower naturally, between twenty to twenty-four months, however a few different methods have been implemented over the years to speed up the process. One differentiating factor about this fruit is that they do not ripen after they are harvested. This makes proper cooling and storing methods crucial.

Pineapples are commonly used in various cooking recipes. They may be cut and eaten fresh, as well as crushed, preserved, juiced or used as a garnish. There versatility and delicious flavor make them a popular ingredient for all styles of food, be it South American, Asian or American cuisine. In addition to the fruit, its durable leaves are also quite versatile. These leaves can be formed into a textile for use in different furnishings, such as wallpaper, as well fashioned into a fabric for use in clothing. Pineapples may also be applied topically as an anti-inflammatory or ingested as an antihelminthic.

Information About Cooling and Storing Pineapples

Unlike many other types of fruit, pineapples ripeness peaks upon harvesting. To ensure that they have a nice yellow center, one week before harvest time the fruits are usually sprayed with a growth inducing chemical that converts into a regulator that encourages ripening of fruit. Therefore, they are quite perishable. At room temperature they are only good for up to two days, while when refrigerated they can last for five to seven days.

Shelf Life – Unless canned, frozen or preserved, pineapples do not have a long shelf life at all. When frozen this fruit can last up to five months, and it can last for one to two years when canned or preserved.

Temperature – With such a short shelf life it is most beneficial to frigate the fruit. To extend the expected life of the plant it should be stored at a temperature of thirty-two degrees. This helps to slow down the aging process, which begins as soon as the fruit is collected.

Relative Humidity – Being that pineapples are tropical fruit they are indigenous to humid climates and must therefore be maintained in a high relative humidity. Pineapples should be kept at a relative humidity of ninety to ninety-five percent.

Methods of Cooling Pineapples

Ideally, pineapples should first be cooled down to forty degrees before they are cooled to storage temperature. If the process is completed too quickly it can actually damage the fruit. There are a couple of effective cooling methods that can be utilized to get the fruit to proper storage temperature without compromising the sweet ripeness of the pineapples.

Forced-Air Cooling – This process is a great option for cooling the fruit to storage temperatures after it has been cooled down initially. For this cooling method the pineapples are placed in a refrigerated room, such as a deep freezer, and are arranged around a fan. The fan helps to circulate the cool air through the fruit, speeding up the freezing process.

Hydrocooling – This method is usually utilized before forced-air cooling is applied. It helps to cool off the fruit quickly without causing damage. To accomplish this, the fruit is submerged in near-freezing water.

SEMCO/SEMCOLD LLC prides itself as a leader amongst cooling and storage system providers. We strive to not only supply superior systems, but to work effectively with clients to develop tailored systems to meet their needs and exceed their expectations. Our extensive experience, high quality equipment and commitment to positive client relations speak volumes to those factors. We would love to work one-on-one with you to create the perfect cooling and storing system to support your pineapple distribution process.

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The Pros and Cons of Chilled Seawater for Fish Cooling

If you are in the industrial or commercial fishing industry, then you likely already know how important it is to keep your fish in the most favorable condition you can in order to attain the highest price and to ensure the distribution of safe product. It can feel like a losing battle, especially since fish begin to spoil as soon as they are deceased. It is important for you to take the necessary precautions to make certain that you’re looking after your best interests as a member of the industry, as someone who has a vested interest in your company, and as a person who is responsible for delivering healthy, quality fish to your consumers. Chilled seawater ice (also often referred to as CSW) can be an effective and beneficial tool for your boats to utilize in order to keep your fish in the best attainable condition.

How Chilled Seawater Can Help to Keep Fish Fresh

Chilled seawater can be a highly efficient, safe, and useful way to keep fish at their peak of freshness for as long as possible. Chilled seawater is a unique kind of ice water mixture since it is composed of sea water and cooled by the addition of ice. There are a number of different functions that ice naturally performs that can help you maintain freshness:

Reduction of Temperature

Chilled Seawater and ice are able to reduce the temperature of the fish to the optimal 0°C, which combats the growth of pathogenic microorganisms and reduces the rate of spoilage – which in turn can reduce or even eliminate many of the safety risks that comes with storing fish.

Chilled Seawater Maintains Moisture

Once a fish is out of the water and deceased, it immediately begins to dry out – which affects its appearance, quality, and weight. Melting water helps to prevent surface dehydration, and will help keep the quality and weight of the fish up to industry standards. CSW is essentially a slurry of seawater and ice, and this kind of mixture can be the quickest and most practical chilling method since it is able to reach more surface area uniformly and swiftly. Melting water increases the speed at which the fish is chilled, so it has less time to be affected by heat or exposure.

One noticeable drawback that water can have is to create a color leaching effect. It can also leach mass and nutrients if the fish is left in it for too long. This concern can be addressed by routinely draining the excess water from the CSW mixture – adding more as needed.

CSW Is Convenient

Chilled seawater is a portable cooling method – able to be transported quickly and easily from place to place since it to not particularly heavy or cumbersome. It is also composed of raw, natural materials that are widely available – making it easy to come by and fairly inexpensive to both produce and to purchase.

CSW Can Extend the Shelf Life of Your Fish

All of these attributes come together to help you with your primary purpose – to conserve your resources as much as possible while still ensuring that you’re delivering quality goods to your next port of call. Given these factors, CSW can be relatively cheap way to preserve fish and to make sure that their quality is retained for as long as is feasible.

Limitations of Chilled Seawater

While chilled seawater has many benefits in terms of application and usefulness, it does have a few drawbacks. In addition to the possibility of color, mass, and nutrient leaching that too much water exposure can enact, CSW that has too high of a salt content can affect the taste and quality of the fish by imbuing it with more salt than desired. The heat transferability of CSW is also affected by the salt content – causing the ice to separate from the salt after a while and to not convey its coolness as quickly.

However, many of these drawbacks can be addressed simply by prudent testing of the CSW’s salt content, as well as making sure that the fish aren’t left to soak to long in stagnant water. That concern can be assuaged by systematic draining, as well as water circulation technologies with which some containers can be outfitted.

While chilled seawater systems may not work for every company or every boat, the technologies that produce them and the natural attributes that they offer will likely make them a useful and practical addition to many within the commercial and industrial fishing industries. It is a universal truth that once a fish is caught it needs to be either eaten or quickly preserved for future consumption, and CSW can help many achieve the latter.

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