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Smoker Fillets
Chilean Seafood Exchange produces what
many discriminating customers consider the finest frozen Smoker
Fillets produced in Chile. Some of these differences are:
- 100% Axtasantine feed. This is
proven to be the most consistent coloring agent found in the
feed to produce superior frozen fillets. It is also a critical
element in the color of smoking. Not all farms use this colorant.
Many use lower percentages or cheaper substitutes. Farms that
produce large volumes of fresh do not need Axtasantine. Although
it is hard to tell the difference in fresh fish, there is a
loss of color when frozen and especially noticeable when smoked.
Salmon fed with Canthasantine tends to get an orange, caramel
color after smoking.
- We starve the fish for 12 days before
harvest. This brings up the color and makes the flesh
firmer. Although this extra expense is not necessary for fresh,
it is vital for smoking.
- We slaughter the fish in a manner to
avoid stress. This makes a big difference in the consistency
of the flesh. Stressful bleeding is proven the cause for the
so-called "soft meat".
- The whole fish is inspected to meet the
following criteria:
| Shadows |
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Less than 3 (slight) |
| Melanosis |
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Less than 2% |
| Scales |
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Loss of less than 15% (scattered) |
| Cuts |
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Not Accepted |
| Deformities |
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Not Accepted |
| Oxidation |
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Not Accepted |
- Salmon is processed before "rigor".
We manually remove the kidneys and vacuum all internal organs
and blood. The head is cut manually.
- After the fillet is trimmed, it is submerged
in a grapefruit extract proven the most effective natural compound
to control Listeria. It is worth mentioning that
all plants are certified free of Listeria. USA Health Certificate
under HACCP system certified by SERNAP (Chilean national fisheries
services)
- Fillets are further inspected to meet
the following criteria:
| Blood Spots |
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Less than 4, average of 2 (very important) |
| Trim |
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Between C and D |
| Texture |
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Firm and elastic |
| Color |
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15 and above on Roche Scale |
| Dehydration |
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Not Accepted |
| Fat Content |
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10% to 12% (also very important) |
| Bones |
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All bones removed, minimal gaping |
- Frozen IQF, IWP (cryogenic at –95 C with
Nitrogen in less than 25 minutes - optional)
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