Fish and seafood are highly perishable, and must be preserved immediately after being caught or harvested. It is very important both to preserving its quality and to ensure that it does not pose any risks to human health upon consumption. Chilling, refrigeration and freezing are the major preservation methods used with seafood and fish products, all three processes aiming to preserve the freshness and flavour of the fish. Consumer demand for fish remains high despite escalating prices in the last ten years which have seen the retail cost of the most popular breeds (cod, haddock, salmon) more than double for unfrozen fish. Many consumers appear to be willing to pay a premium for freshness and quality, both of which are closely linked in shoppers’ minds with the efficient chilling and refrigeration of the fish along the supply chain. At the same time, frozen fish and seafood has also grown more popular with shoppers, as a cheaper, more convenient alternative to refrigerated fresh fish and seafood. Seafood Chilling, Refrigeration and Freezing presents the science behind the chilling, refrigerating and freezing of fish and seafood, describing the chemical, microbiological and physical changes which take place during preservation, and considering the new technologies which can be used, highlighting their benefits and their economic implications. The book takes account of the different requirements for different breeds of fish and seafood, and includes both traditional and novel technologies, providing both current and future perspectives. It will be required reading for food scientists, fish processors and retailers as well as fish specialists, researchers and process designers.

Fish and seafood are highly perishable, and must be preserved immediately after being caught or harvested. It is very important both to preserving its quality and to ensure that it does not pose any risks to human health upon consumption. Chilling, refrigeration and freezing are the major preservation methods used with seafood and fish products, all three processes aiming to preserve the freshness and flavour of the fish. Consumer demand for fish remains high despite escalating prices in the last ten years which have seen the retail cost of the most popular breeds (cod, haddock, salmon) more than double for unfrozen fish. Many consumers appear to be willing to pay a premium for freshness and quality, both of which are closely linked in shoppers’ minds with the efficient chilling and refrigeration of the fish along the supply chain. At the same time, frozen fish and seafood has also grown more popular with shoppers, as a cheaper, more convenient alternative to refrigerated fresh fish and seafood. Seafood Chilling, Refrigeration and Freezing presents the science behind the chilling, refrigerating and freezing of fish and seafood, describing the chemical, microbiological and physical changes which take place during preservation, and considering the new technologies which can be used, highlighting their benefits and their economic implications. The book takes account of the different requirements for different breeds of fish and seafood, and includes both traditional and novel technologies, providing both current and future perspectives. It will be required reading for food scientists, fish processors and retailers as well as fish specialists, researchers and process designers.

This document is intended to serve as a background paper as well as an introduction to the operations and equipment used in the freezing and cold storage of fish both on shore and at sea. It gives a broad outline on how deterioration of fish quality can be reduced by the application of low temperatures. It reviews various types of freezing equipment for use ashore or at sea; the requirements for cold stores and their construction; the factors affecting cold storage conditions, etc. In addition, the publication describes the methods used to calculate cold storage refrigeration loads as well as the costs of freezing and cold storage. Safe operation of cold stores is also covered. A list of publications on the subject is given in the list of references.

Part of the new IFST Advances in Food Science Series, Seafood Processing: Technology, Quality and Safety covers the whole range of current processes which are applied to seafood, as well as quality and safety aspects. The first part of the book (‘Processing Technologies’) covers primary processing, heating, chilling, freezing, irradiation, traditional preservation methods (salting, drying, smoking, fermentation, etc), frozen surimi and packaging. The subjects of waste management and sustainability issues of fish processing are also covered. In the second part (‘Quality and Safety Issues’), quality and safety analysis, fish and seafood authenticity and risk assessment are included.