Fish processing shop: equipment, technologies

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Organization of the technical part of a fish processing enterprise is a complex and responsible task. It would seem that this can be said about any similar department, whose work is related to food products. However, in the case of seafood, there are many nuances that require a special technological approach to ensure production processes and related operations. As a rule, a fish processing workshop is a room provided with a wide range of specialized equipment. This complex includes machines for receiving products, and power units for its direct movement, as well as devices for cleaning and further processing. It may seem that for the successful operation of such an enterprise, it is enough to purchase a set of necessary technical equipment. This is true, but the selection process itself is impossible without an understanding of technological processes. To understand them, you should consider the stages of processing performed in different areas of production.

Technological stages of processing

The seafood industry is quite extensive and includes enterprises of variousorientation. The average fish processing plant involves several stages, but small organizations whose activities are focused on individual operations are also common. So, among the most common types of processing, the following are noted:

• Canning.
• Drying and smoking.
• Cutting and slicing.
• Ambassador.
• Cold processing.
• Cooking minced meat and other products.
• Collecting and processing fish waste.

Not always each of these operations becomes the last before the release of products on the market. In particular, the shop for processing fish by cutting and slicing can only act as a preparatory stage before s alting the product. This approach is also convenient for the manufacturers themselves, as it allows them to integrate into long technological chains without investing much effort in organizing full-fledged costly production. Now it's time to move on to the organization of key areas in production, which allow the production of high-quality processed fish.

Shop for the preparation of live fish

Live fish needs to be provided with rather complex processes for organizing its transportation and storage. With proper observance of the requirements, it is possible to obtain high-quality raw materials for the further development of an ice cream or chilled product. Typically, fish processing plants are equipped with special cages and tanks for storing seafood. The most important thing at this stage is to ensure a strict separation of fish by species and observe the necessary conditions for its life. That ispredatory species, piercing, with sharp bugs, etc. are sorted separately. Chilled and fresh fish are stored in workshops where the temperature regime is 0 °C.

Due to the transport time, which is usually about 3 days, the content of the product in the factory should not exceed 2 days. Based on this, the fish processing workshop must have unloading devices that are appropriate in terms of power and pace of work.

Refrigerating and freezing

There are different approaches to freezing and refrigerating a product. For example, freezing is provided by in-line and cyclic devices. In the first case, these are continuously quick-freezing devices (tunnels) that operate in a continuous mode. Cyclic devices should include cameras with the ability to stop work to perform intermediate unloading or loading. Refrigeration equipment for fish processing at Russian enterprises is usually arranged according to the principle of a continuous technological chain. That is, the product from the moment of primary harvesting to the direct sale to the consumer is in conditions of constant exposure to cold. This is one of the most important aspects in the production of fish, since only its observance allows you to get high-quality food products.

Defrosting and cutting equipment

Again, there are many different defrosting technologies, but in advanced enterprises, special devices are used,the productivity of which is about 1,000 kg of fish per hour. There are also methods of defrosting by means of electric current. But, despite their effectiveness, the disadvantages in the form of a complex design and configuration still limit the range of applications of such installations. The resulting raw material is called defrosted and goes to the cutting shop for the processing of fish and other seafood. The list of mandatory equipment for such areas includes a conveyor or table on which cutting is carried out. When performing such operations, the insides, head, tail and fins are removed from the fish. The abdominal surfaces are also cleaned with the removal of kidneys and blood. To perform the cutting, band saws, special units for cutting off heads and skinning machines are used.

Production of minced meat, fillet and s alting

The most common fish food products are fillets and minced meat. For the production of fillets, the primary raw material is thawed, washed, separated from ice and sent for processing. Then there is gutting, removal of scales, trimming and processing with s alt with the necessary additives. Industrial equipment for the processing of fish and seafood with the aim of subsequently obtaining minced meat is represented on the market by meat and bone separators. These are the so-called neopresses, due to which muscle tissue is forced through the smallest holes located in the working device of the unit. For s alting, dispensers are used in which the mixture was previously formed forproduct processing. The fish is placed in special jars in which light pressing and sealing takes place. As a rule, the period of s alting in this form is about a month.

Mini Recycling Workshop - What's Special?

Only a few entrepreneurs can afford the organization of production with a full cycle. Therefore, many focus on working in a specific specialized format. This is how the average mini-workshop for fish processing functions, allowing you to serve 1,000 kg of products. At the same time, the range of processing areas is not limited - small fish enterprises are engaged in the initial preparation of raw materials, the production of semi-finished products, s alting and smoking. Actually, in terms of functionality, the equipment used in mini-workshops does not differ from analogues from the middle link, but it certainly loses in performance.

What is a modular shop?

Save the advantages of mini-factories and at the same time not reduce the degree of productivity will allow a modular fish processing workshop, the price of which on average varies from 1 to 3 million rubles. These are complete complexes and premises that are ready to support the processes of drying, drying, cutting, smoking, etc. As you can see, they are distinguished by multifunctionality, but at the same time, these are compact workshops with thoughtful communication support. The cost of modular plants, as a rule, is determined by the volume of loading. For example, models for 100 kg cost an average of 1 millionrubles, and options over 300 kg are estimated at more than 2 million rubles.

Conclusion

Technical support of fish production includes not only the preparation, storage, manufacture and performance of other operations directly related to the products. These are auxiliary devices, containers, tools and units involved in the operation and maintenance of the enterprise. For example, fish processing equipment requires regular cleaning and timely delivery of raw materials. For these activities, appropriate equipment and containers are used. Separately, it is worth noting the packaging shops. Such departments are not directly related to the recycling processes, but they have a great responsibility. After all, do not forget that fish is a perishable product, which means that everything related to its content before it reaches the counter can be attributed to technologically important processes.