Vacuum Tuna Cooker: Innovation in Industrial Cooking

Discover the features and benefits of Gaictech’s Vacuum Tuna Cooker, the solution to optimize canned tuna production

The vacuum tuna cooking process has become an essential technique in the canning industry. The vacuum cooking process with steam combines the use of a vacuum chamber and controlled steam injection. In this controlled environment, the tuna is cooked slowly and evenly, preserving its nutrients and natural flavor.

This technique not only ensures a superior quality product but also maximizes profitability by reducing the weight loss of the tuna. In this article, we will explore the features of the vacuum tuna cooker and its main benefits.

Vacuum Tuna Cooking Process

Vacuum tuna cooking is the preferred method for cooking tuna of a certain size, generally over 10 kilograms (i.e., tuna that enters the cooker cut into pieces), although it can of course be used with tuna of any size. Vacuum cooking allows the tuna meat to open up more during the process, speeding up the cooking, improving the texture, and facilitating the extraction of oils from the fish.

Unlike cooking in vats, which are more suitable for small-scale productions and require a crane or hoist for loading and unloading, the vacuum cooker is more energy-efficient and allows for better control over the utilisation of generated by-products.

Here, we can differentiate between two types of discharges: those with higher organic load and those with lower organic load, depending on the cycle phase. This results in better utilisation of by-products and reduces the organic load and volume entering the factory’s wastewater treatment plant.

Features of the Vacuum Tuna Cooker

Gaictech’s vacuum tuna cooker is designed to meet the demands of industrial production. Made from AISI 304 L stainless steel, it meets the hygiene and durability standards required by the food industry. Its notable features include:

• Fully automatic cooking cycle: Controlled by a state-of-the-art PLC, the process is carried out without manual intervention, ensuring precision and efficiency.
• Cooking options by time or temperature: Allows for adjustment of cooking based on the internal temperature of the tuna (central spine temperature) or the programmed time, providing flexibility to meet customer specifications.
• Temperature measurement with thermocouple probes: These probes record the internal temperatures of the fish and the cooker to ensure precise cooking.
• Controlled defrosting: Offers the option to defrost the tuna within the same cooker, facilitating continuity of the production process without the need for additional equipment.
• Adaptable design: Equipped with pneumatically or hydraulically operated doors and an internal drag chain, it adapts to different production volumes and the existing carts in the plant.

Benefits of the Vacuum Tuna Cooker

Energy Efficiency

Gaictech’s cooker has been designed to maximize energy consumption. It optimizes steam usage in each cycle, thereby reducing energy costs per production batch.

Vacuum cooking ensures the cooking temperature is lower than in an atmospheric environment (due to the well-known Gay-Lussac’s law), which directly contributes to this energy efficiency by operating the entire process at lower temperature ranges. This efficiency allows manufacturers to process large volumes of tuna at a lower operating cost without sacrificing product quality.

Uniform Cooking

Vacuum cooking ensures that heat is evenly distributed throughout each piece of tuna. This is crucial for preventing overcooking and ensuring a consistent texture across the entire batch, resulting in a final product that meets the highest quality standards.

Precise Temperature Control

With Gaictech’s advanced temperature control technology, the cooker allows for adjustment and maintenance of a uniform temperature throughout the entire cooking cycle. This control is essential for preserving the organoleptic properties of the fish, such as flavor, texture, and color.

Process Automation

The complete automation of the process through an advanced PLC facilitates its operation without the need for constant intervention. Operators can monitor and adjust cooking parameters remotely, ensuring continuous and uninterrupted production.

By-Product Recovery

During cooking, fish releases oils and fats that can be collected and utilized as high-value by-products. This represents an additional source of revenue and maximizes the use of natural resources, contributing to the sustainability of the process.

Adaptability of Gaictech

Gaictech stands out in the canning industry for its ability to adapt the design and configuration of its vacuum tuna cookers to each client’s specific needs.

From options with one or two doors to the possibility of adjusting the cooker to the carts already existing in the plant, Gaictech offers customized solutions that integrate seamlessly into current production lines. Additionally, Ethernet connectivity allows for remote management of the process and troubleshooting any technical issues without significant interruptions in production.

If you want to optimize tuna cooking in your plant and take advantage of the benefits of Gaictech’s vacuum tuna cooker, our team is ready to help you design a project tailored to your needs.