Quality in roe production
Several factors are essential for securing the high quality roe products. Quality assurance starts when the fisherman is planning his fishing schedule.
In Greenland most of the lumpfish fishermen operate 10-15 gill-nets each. When weather permits the nets are emptied on a daily basis to ensure that the fish and roe are absolutely fresh. Right after the net is emptied the fisherman cuts the fish open and carefully takes out the roe which is put in clean barrels.
The fisherman is responsible for logging where and when the fish is caught and for ensuring that the roe is kept at low temperature until it arrives at the factory.
In the factory the temperature and freshness is immediately checked and the barrels with fresh roe is taken to the cooling storage ready for processing. During the fishing season the factories are fully staffed in both weekends and holidays to receive and process the fishermen’s catches.
The processing starts when the membranes are gently separated from the roe in a mechanical tumbler. Hereafter a strong salt water solution is poured over the roe allowing all impurities e.g. traces of membrane, fish reminiscent etc. to float and the roe to sink. The surface is then skimmed off and the clean roe is left to drain before it is put in new clean barrels and brined for storage.
Next production step is to de-salt and again certify the quality and freshness. Hereafter the coloring and packaging is done in two steps. When the jars of roe are sealed they are first control weighed, pasteurized to guarantee no bacteria growth and glass and metal detected to avoid foreign bodies of any kind before they are packed on pallets – ready to dispatch to customers.
