Cold Chain Processing

COLD CHAIN PROCESSING
At Brown Dog Fishing Co. we’ve been refining what we do since 1994. Our fish are handled using the Ike Jime Method which dispatches the fish immediately upon capture before placing into huge tanks of refrigerated seawater to chill these fish as quickly as possible. Fish are then removed from the water when cold and stored in boxes in our refrigerated fish hold.

Fish flesh is delicate and even slight fluctuations in temperature can affect the firmness, moistness and taste of the final product. That’s why it’s vital that the catch is treated properly from the time it’s taken on board until the time it is plated up. Cold Chain is Brown Dog Fishing Co’s answer to that need.

Every step of the process, from the initial cooling of the whole fish, through to packing and sealing for transport, transit storage, unsealing and preparation for sale or consumption is temperature and quality controlled and the results documented in our Cold Chain. Every person involved is trained in the importance of strict adherence to the documented procedure and variation is unacceptable.

Cold Chain is probably the most rigorous quality control process in use in Australia today and one of our proudest achievements. The results it provides speak for themselves – our fish are always fresh tasting, moist and firm, the way they were when they came aboard.

SELECTION AND CARE OF YOUR FISH
Fresh fish should never smell ‘fishy’. If it smells fishy, it isn’t ours. Plan to buy fish last if you are shopping so as to get it home to refrigeration in the shortest time. Specialist fishmongers will provide you with some ice if you have a cooler bag. Once home, store in the coolest part of your fridge protected from moving refrigerated air. Or if you are a fish tragic like we are, on ice in an esky taking care to periodically drain any meltwater.

Fresh fish will look good. Colours will not be oxidised and faded. Eyes will be clear and the fish should look “wet” and have plenty of ice around it. For fillets look for good clear colours, bright clear reds, moisture and lustre. Fillets should never be lying in liquid.

Ask your fishmonger if you can smell a fillet and remember –
if it smells fishy it isn’t fresh!