Tuna Defrosting

Defrosting is one of the most critical steps in the logistics and processing chain of tuna. A sensor system will enable optimal defrosting by thawing the fish down to the core without any unnecessary increase of the surface temperature thus avoiding quality losses.

Project Description:

Deep frozen foods are typically thawed at 2°C to 8°C before further industrial processing. Shortening of thawing time not only saves energy and cost, but also reduces bacteria growth.

For optimal control of this process, it is necessary to know, when the product core is thawed, i.e. when the phase change from ice to water is complete. During the phase change, several physical properties change significantly, e.g. sonic speed and the frequency-dependent dielectric constant.

To measure these properties a sensor system will be developed during the project ‘Resource efficiency in the tuna supply chain’. The system shall detect the progress of defrosting from surface to core of the product. The direct measurements will be supported by a model to predict the core temperature by surface sensors.

The faster the defrosting, the fresher the fish and the lower the liquid loss. If the liquid loss is reduced, flavour carriers remain inside the product.

The project will enable our partner #TheFishExperts, Bremerhaven, Germany to avoid waste, save energy and cost, and to even improve the quality of their valuable food products.

?Ressourcenschonung in der Supply Chain von Thunfisch“ is funded by the European Union.

Project Partners:

TFE #TheFishExperts Bremerhaven https://www.fish-experts.com/

Sequid GmbH Bremen https://www.sequid.de/en/

Europ?ischen Fonds für Regionale Entwicklung (EFRE) https://www.efre-bremen.de/

Contact:

Dr.-Ing. Reiner Jedermann
Universit?t Bremen
IMSAS, NW1, Room O2130
phone.: +49 421 218 62603
E-mail: contact