The encyclopedia · Engineering & Operations · Technical decision · 2010s
Slurry ice at minus one degree kept Japan's fresh fish fresh on long hauls
A pumpable slush of fine ice crystals chills fish fast and evenly, so distant markets get near-caught seafood.
Kochi University of Technology
the move
Fresh fish spoil fast, and conventional chilled transport with block ice cools unevenly and bruises fragile flesh, so long supply chains were a loss.
Researchers developed slurry ice at around -1°C, a slush that encases fish and cools the core quickly and uniformly without damaging the product, which raised how well fresh fish and shellfish could be kept.
A key to adoption was a compact icemaker that continuously produced slurry on fishing vessels, letting the cold chain start at the moment of catch rather than at the processing plant.
why it works
- Slurry surrounds the whole fish, so cooling is fast and uniform instead of surface-first.
- Soft crystals don't bruise delicate flesh the way solid ice does.
- Producing it on the boat means cold starts at the catch, not after transport.
- A fish that stays near-caught commands a premium in distant markets.
what transfers
Use a medium that follows the shape of the load — a cooling agent that flows beats one that only touches part of it.
what came after
Slurry ice became a high-freshness transport method for seafood, with compact generators letting fishing vessels apply it at sea and fish traveling farther without losing quality.
references
- Leading edge of high freshness distribution through innovative technology
- Development of a sherbet-like seawater ice maker for keeping fish fresh
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