Ice-free preservation does not mean drying out the fish but maintaining an appropriate water content. This method offers numerous benefits for the consumer, the fishmonger, and the planet.
Enhanced Consumption and Taste Experience
The conditioning of fish at Poissonnerie Viot encourages offering products at their optimal taste moment. Depending on the species and quality of the flesh, it might be best to consume the fish fresh, aged, or matured. Allowing time can improve the fish’s texture and offer different taste experiences.
Ice-free preservation also ensures the right water content in the fish’s flesh, enhancing its flavor. Water can wash out the product’s taste, alter its texture, and make cooking unpredictable. Without water, the texture of raw fish is denser, and the fats and juices are more concentrated, allowing for better grilling without water loss during cooking.
Ice is a refrigerant that consumes significant potable water, around 1000 liters per day per fishmonger. Eliminating it saves resources and reduces waste.
Beyond the cost savings on ice and its transportation, the substantial water savings from ice-free preservation ensures the quality of the products. The lack of water provides a stable and healthy environment, as overly humid conditions can foster bacterial growth. This method significantly improves sanitary conditions.
By keeping fish in a dry environment and avoiding rinsing, they stay fresh 3 to 4 times longer. This allows the fishmonger to avoid waste and manage stock over a longer period, minimizing waste.
Optimized Handling and Working Conditions
Ice-free preservation improves working conditions. There is no need to replenish ice, floors are no longer slippery, minimizing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and drastically reducing workplace accidents. This saved time allows focusing on the core business and product selection.
This new preservation method is now promoted under the name Viot System, through refrigerated display cases specially designed for ice-free preservation. Ice is replaced by ventilated cold at 0°C.
