The freezing of Moroccan seafood products is a dominant activity in terms of the number of freezing units. It is performed by onshore units and freezer ships.
The onshore freezing industry, initially oriented towards the valorization of cephalopods, has expanded over the years to benthic and small pelagic fish. These facilities are recent and are equipped with modern technology that meet international standards in terms of quality, hygiene and respect for the environment.
The freezing at sea is practiced by a freezing fleet of shrimps and cephalopods.
The number of freezing units reached 434 approved units in 2012, including:
- 189 onshore units, mainly located in Dakhla (74), Agadir (35) and Laayoune (21).
- 245 freezing ships at sea.
The onshore units produced 191,388 tons of frozen end products in 2012.
These products are mainly intended for export, the distribution by destination is presented on the following graph:
Main destinations of frozen Moroccan seafood products in terms of value
Production of frozen sea products
Receipt of seafood is fresh or frozen. A control of the temperature, the organoleptic quality of the raw material are carried out.
Storage is at 2 ° C for fresh fish and -18 ° C for frozen one.
Triage and washing are done quickly by a qualified workforce. Sorting is done according to the criteria of size, quality and presentation. The batches are then washed with drinking water.
Evisceration is an important step in eliminating all viscera carefully while avoiding contamination of the flesh. This step is not systematic, it depends on the type of fish and the demand of the customers.
The IQF forming for octopus shaping comes just after kneading in a churn to give it a flower shape. Mixing is done with ice-cold brine.
Freezing is done in freezing tunnels until a product core temperature of -18 ° C is reached.
Glazing is done for some products, it consists in soaking the frozen product in ice water to form a thin layer of ice on the surface and protect the skin of the product against drying. Glazing rate is 2 to 3%.
The packaging of seafood is made in materials that meet the standards in force (crates, film, trays, ...), the products are then labeled and stored in negative cold rooms. (Temperature -18 ° C).