In the seafood industry, time starts working against you the moment the catch lands on the deck. Freshness does not depend on cold storage alone. Just as important is the type of ice used to protect the product. This is where experience matters. As a global supplier of cooling systems, Focusun has spent many years refining how temperature is managed from the start.
That experience becomes especially useful when it is time to choose an ice machine. In most cases, the decision comes down to flake ice or tube ice. Both are widely used to cool seafood, yet their different shapes and physical traits influence freshness in very different ways.
If your priority is rapid cooling, the flake ice machine is your best friend. Flake ice consists of thin, dry, and flat chips (usually 1.5mm to 2.2mm thick).
The primary advantage here is the surface area. Because the flakes are flat, they provide a massive contact area with the seafood. This allows for almost instantaneous heat transfer. Furthermore, because flake ice is soft and has no sharp edges, it “hugs” the delicate skin of fish or shrimp without causing bruising or punctures. This is why you will see flake ice used predominantly on fishing trawlers and in supermarket display beds. It keeps the product moist, cold, and visually appealing.
The tube ice machine makes round, hollow ice that is harder and denser than flake ice. It has a smaller surface area for its weight, so it cools a bit more slowly than flake ice. Still, it lasts much longer.
Tube ice is the preferred choice for long-distance transport.Because the ice pieces are thicker, they melt much more slowly. This makes a clear difference during long trips. When seafood is shipped across provinces or stored in a facility where room temperatures can change, tube ice helps keep cooling steady and reliable. At the same time, the gaps between the ice pieces allow air to move more freely. In certain storage setups, this airflow helps reduce warm spots inside large crates.
Understanding how to make icing a part of your quality control involves more than just buying a generic ice maker. You need to match the ice type to your specific segment of the supply chain.
At Focusun, we don’t just sell an ice machine; we provide a preservation strategy. For instance, our seawater flake ice machine models are designed to be installed directly on deep-sea vessels, using salt water to create sub-cooled ice that keeps fish in a state of “suspended freshness” for weeks. Meanwhile, our industrial-scale tube ice machine setups are the backbone of regional distribution centers that prioritize durability and easy handling.
In the world of seafood, the “best” ice depends on your goal. If you need fast cooling and gentle handling for retail or quick processing, flake ice is the best choice. If you focus on transport, long trips, and slow melting, tube ice works better.
Yes. Compared to tube ice, flake ice melts faster because it has more surface area. For trips longer than a few hours without refrigeration, tube ice or a mix of both is often used.
Yes, but it is not the best option. Tube ice is hard and round, so it can leave marks on soft fish. It also does not cover the fish as well as flake ice, which helps keep it wet.
Yes. Seawater ice is made by a special Focusun seawater flake ice machine, and it freezes at a lower temperature. This keeps fish colder without freezing the flesh, so the texture stays better than with normal ice.
Regular cleaning and UV sterilization are important. Focusun machines use food-grade stainless steel and have easy-open panels, so the ice-making process stays clean.
In general, flake ice machines use energy well because they make ice all the time on a fixed drum. Still, Focusun has improved both types to give high output with low power use.
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