Frontline Food Consultants and Engineers are committed to providing consulting solutions for the processing and packaging of shellfish. We assist you in coping with some specific hindrances, that you can face in shellfish farming. Such as requiring high quality, proper handling, and high levels of compliance with important health regulations. These services cover every step starting from purchase and preparation, to processing, packing and delivery. 

Shellfish product development is offered by our New Product Development service to ensure that your shellfish products are ready for the market and meet consumers’ taste buds. Our solutions focus on process Improvement specific to the handling, cleaning and processing of shellfish. We ensure that the end product consumer is fresh and has not been contaminated with any bacteria. Technological support plays a significant role in constituting our freezing and preservation technologies. They are critically important for successful shellfish storage and transportation. We also help in Regulatory Compliance & Documentation since you need your products to meet all requirements globally. Our Audits & Training can also ensure that the levels of quality being practiced remain at optimal in your production lines. We are also responsible for the legal processes concerning the product.

What is Shellfish?

Shellfish are another type of fish products that include shrimp, crabs, lobsters, clams, oysters, and mussels among others. These products are highly appreciated for their taste and the shuttle value and therefore widely used in various cuisines of different countries. Shrimp farming requires several planning and suitable equipment for sorting and cleaning as well as the freezing and packaging of shellfish plants. Equipments are blast freezers because the shellfish need to be cooled quickly so as not to compromise on freshness, and cleaning machines to remove any grime from the shellfish. Shipped and stored product protection solutions that ensure that products stay intact during shipment and warehousing. Also, high standards of hygiene, and compliance to regulatory requirements, are crucial in the processing of shellfish. That is, if you will have a well-equipped facility and equip your production line with state-of-the-art equipment and technology then your shellfish products are ready to meet the quality and safety requirements in consumers all over the world.

Types of Shellfish

  • Shellfish are numerous and each of them has its unique features depending on cooking preparation and their nutritious value. Here are some common types:

Crab

  • Profile: Prawning is considered to have sweet, transparent and tender crabs to make crabs a sweet relation. 
  • Applications: Crab meat is applied for the preparation of crab cakes, soups, and salads and is also used as a filling for sushi. Com can be cooked by steaming, boiling, or grilling.

Lobster

  • Profile: Lobster is a seafood delicacy with soft, juicy and slightly sweet meat is considered to be the premium type of seafood.
  • Applications: Lobster is usually eaten boiled or steamed and garnished either with butter or lemon. It is also a component in bisques, lobster rolls, and pasta dishes.

Shrimp

  • Profile: Shrimps are characterized by their quite firm, a bit sweet taste and are widely used countertypes of shellfish.
  • Applications: Shrimp can be prepared on the grill, sautéed, fried or boiled and are utilized in the preparation of starters and salads, pastas and rice meals.
  • Other Shellfish include Oysters, Clams, and Scallops.
  • Profile: These mollusks have different tastes and even different consistencies: oysters are to some extent salty; while scallop is sweet and tender.
  • Applications: Oysters can be eaten raw or added to a number of recipes, clams are usually used in making chowders and pasta, and scallop is commonly pan-fried or grilled.

Shellfish production process.

Shellfish is defined as those types of seafood that requires proper conditioning and preparation in order to retain its quality, freshness and quality. The process typically includes several key stages:

Harvesting and Sourcing

  • Objective: Buy high quality shellfish from source that are approved for sustainability of the species.
  • Process: Shellfish are caught in the wild or farmed, from aquaculture. They incorporated measures on the use of resources that will be workable to help maintain or preserve marine life.

Processing and Cleaning

  • Objective: Purify the shellfish and fit them for human consumption.
  • Process: Shellfish must be cleaned and sorted before use, or prepared in a manner that kills any organisms which might be present. Both crabs and lobsters may be prepared whole or as meat products. Shrimps are commonly shelled and gutted. Some of the crustaceans are shucked like oysters and clams where the shell is discarded.

Cooking and Preparation

  • Objective: The products containing shellfish should be protected and additionally taste better.
  • Process: The techniques of cooking differ depending on the species of the fish, and the type of fish products. They are; boiling, steaming, grilling and frying. Every so often, some products may be baked or boiled and then stored in the freezer or through canning.

Packaging and Storage

  • Objective: Reduce the time taken in the shellfish products in order to maintain the freshness and quality of the products.
  • Process: Marine products, especially shellfish products, come packed in different media, either vacuum-packed bags, cans, or in trays. This is due to the fact that packaging has two main functions safeguarding against any contaminants as well as guarding against spoilage. Depending on the type of the product and the period for which it is stocked before it is consumed, then it is stocked under refrigeration or freezing conditions.

Quality Control and Testing

  • Objective: Facilitate product protection against losses as well as maintain its quality and observe the law.
  • Process: Shellfish products have stringent microbial challenges, shellfish poisoning toxins, and chemical perimeters all tested before going to the market. Flavor profile describes organoleptic assessments related to appearance, taste, smell and texture.

Creation of Packaging Material for Shellfish Products

Propitious packaging material for shellfish products plays very vital role in its freshness, safety, and acceptance by consumers. It has to offer protection against contamination and act as a barrier against spoilt products, as well as enhance shelf life.

  • Vacuum-Sealed Bags
  • Objective: Prolong the shelf life for products while keeping the products fresh for consumers.
  • Materials: High barrier properties of the films based on the coatings are demonstrated by their low permeability to oxygen and moisture.
  • Benefits: Throughout the meals, vacuum bags are suitable insulation to lock cooked or raw shellfish from the chance of oxidation and freezer burn.

Cans

  • Objective: Offer a sustainable material and at the same time, create a packaging that will last and does not require refrigeration.
  • Materials: The product should avoid direct contact with the can, and thus should preferably be packed in metal cans with an appropriate lining.
  • Benefits: The shellfish are processed in canned form, for example, crab meat or shrimp and have a fairly long shelf-life period as far as consumers are concerned. They are also easily portable as well as can be stored conveniently.

Frozen Packaging

  • Objective: Maintained the texture and mouth feel during the cooking process in the shellfish.
  • Materials: Resalable bags or trays that are suitable for freezing, sometimes vacuum-contained, or with modified atmosphere packaging (MAP).
  • Benefits: Freezing is one of the prevalent techniques of shellfish preservation and their quality and safety during storage. Since most of the food items that need to be packed are frozen, appropriate packaging materials must be found that resist moisture loss and the formation of freezer burns.

Eco-Friendly Packaging Options

  • Objective: Reduce environmental impact and appeal to eco-conscious consumers.
  • Practices: Use of recyclable or biodegradable materials, such as paper-based trays or compostable films. Innovations in packaging technology focus on reducing plastic use and minimizing waste.