Content of research

The amount of produced slurry ice, which is useful for maintaining the freshness of marine animals, often exceeded the amount actually used because there was not a calculation method that took storage time into account. At our laboratory, we have developed a device to optimize the quality (salt concentration and water/ice mixing ratio) and quantity (shelf life) of slurry ice simultaneously and quickly on the spot based on the overall heat transfer coefficient of the storage container, as described earlier. Since this method can be applied to the production of fresh water-derived salt-free liquid ice, it can also be used for other food than marine animals (vegetables, fruits, and livestock), and we are currently working to obtain the rights to this invention.

Potential for social implementation

• ・Implementation with fishery-related products (e.g., slurry ice production equipment at fishing ports and on fishing boats)
• ・Implementation with products involved in the distribution industry (fish boxes, storage containers for food transportation, etc.)
• ・Implementation with retail industry-related products (e.g., low-temperature showcases)
• ・Implementation with products used by consumers (e.g., refrigerators)

Appealing points to industry and local governments

With this device, the optimum amount of liquid ice to be produced can be determined on the spot and quickly, taking the storage time of the food into account. This is expected to lead directly to lower production costs and lower fuel consumption for fishing vessels.