Liquid ice cools mussels in Chile

FRENCH company Geneglace has installed a liquid ice machine in a mussel processing plant in Chile.

Pesquera Agromar Ltda, located in Chiloe Island, processes the famous 'choritos' - typical Chilean mussels - and uses liquid ice for cooling them during processing and for glazing.

'For some applications, the use of liquid ice is more appropriate than other types of ice and enables a rapid cooling of the product, ' says Francoise Bernard, area sales manager.

'Geneglace developed a liquid ice machine based on the famous vertical fix cylinder. After production, the ice is stored in a bin and can be pumped for distribution to various points.'

Pesquera Agromar Ltda says there are several advantages for their choice.

Firstly, this machine can be operated with seawater as the company is based on the coast and has no problem with water supply. Secondly, liquid ice can be pumped and this allows ice distribution in various points of the processing plant. The ice machine is installed outside the plant and ice is delivered through tubes.

The last advantage, the company says, is the ice temperature which assures a rapid cooling of the products.

This machine has been developed with the Geneglace distributor in Chile, Profrio Ingenieria en Refrigeracion, and a well-known contractor in the Puerto Montt area of Chile, called Calaf Frio Alimentos SA.

'By making this complete installation in a 20ft (6.1m) container, Claudio Calaf made this unit very compact and easy to install, 'Bernard says. 'All systems for storage, pumping and for distribution of the ice are included in the supply.

'This Chilean area is very famous for salmon farming and this liquid ice machine will complete the range of Geneglace flake ice machines. In fact, even if liquid presents some advantages, flake ice also remains an excellent way for preservation of the products.'

Geneglace offers a complete range of flake ice production machines ranging from 350kg to 50 tonnes per 24 hours, and can now also manufacture inland seawater flake ice machines for producing 2700, 5500 and 10000kg of flake ice per 24 hours.