Leana, sorry for the delayed answer! I presume that "shelf stable vacuum
packaged seafood" means retort pouch which is "canned" food.
In the mid 90's an Oregon processor installed a new processing line for
retort pouches. The total cost was about US$100,000 not including the
building. I don't recall the exact capacity but I would say it could hold
about 200 pounds in a single dolly. The retort was a single dolly front
loader (horizontal) with air override pressure and flooded cooling. A
problem was to get enough cooling water into the retort fast enough.
Incoming water line size and pressure was not adequate so a gravity flow
overhead water reservoir was added to the line. I think the boiler was about
50 horse power.
Many of the retort pouch products I see on the US West Coast have been
custom packed for companies who then their own put their label on it. This
is because the capital investment is too high for less than full time
production.
The place to look for more information if you need it is the National Food
Processors Association. They have an office in Dublin CA and in Seattle WA.
There is a boiler vender in Portland Oregon who knows quite a bit about it.
Contact me privately if you want the name.
Hope this helps.
Ken Hilderbrand
Kenneth S. Hilderbrand Jr.
Seafood Processing Specialist
Sea Grant Extension Program
Oregon State Univ. Marine Science Center
2030 Sth Marine Science Drive
Newport, Oregon 97365-5296 USA
phone: 541 867-0242
fax: 541 867-0138
email: <ken.hilderbrand@hmsc.orst.edu>
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-seafood@ucdavis.edu [mailto:owner-seafood@ucdavis.edu]On
Behalf Of Leanna J Harder
Sent: Tuesday, October 17, 2000 10:36 AM
To: seafood@ucdavis.edu
Subject: Pasteurized seafood pouches
Dear Listers,
Hello to all. I was wondering if anyone would want to share information
about shelf stable vacuum packaged seafood. I dont know too much about
it, but I would like to learn if it would be a cost effective way to
package & sell some of our tuna & possibly salmon. I cant find any
information on how much this kind of machine? would cost, how much it
would produce, etc. I am thinking about quarter pound servings from my
end for each pouch & maybe doing 100#'s at a time or something there
about. This would take an initial investment plus pouch packages maybe
more. If anyone would have any info or be able to direct me to
someplace/someone that might I would appreciate it greatly.
Thank you for your time
Leanna Harder
Riverside smoker
Carlotta, CA
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