Fresh vs. Frozen

Preserving the quality of seafood products has improved significantly. Freezing technology advancements, specifically the use of blast freezers in flash freezing processing, extends the shelf life of perishable products to several months or even over a year. Today, our expert freezing techniques combined with vacuum pack sealing rival the quality of fresh caught seafood.

What’s the difference between freezing and flash freezing?

Freezing is the process where the liquid molecules are converted into solids and form ice. When foods freeze slowly drip loss occurs, the process of products losing a bit of water weight every time they are thawed or defrosted. Drip loss is caused by internal cell damage that occurs during the freezing process. Between 32° and 14° F ice crystals form. The longer it takes a product to cross this threshold, the larger the ice crystal formations are and the more significant damage occurs to the food’s cell walls upon defrosting. With flash freezing, circulating air allows foods to cross the threshold in a short period of time. This rapid freezing technology, combined with vacuum seal technology preserves product integrity and eliminates freezer burn and degradation.

At Icy Strait, our fresh seafood is processed and flash-frozen within hours of delivery, preserving the fresh-caught flavor, appearance, texture, and nutritional value of our premium quality fish and shellfish.