Why is Japanese Seafood So Fresh Worldwide?

Introducing World-Class Freezing Technology

One of the main reasons why Japanese fish is so fresh in the eyes of the world and can be kept fresh in faraway places is because of its top-class freezing technology. Japan has been eating fish since ancient times and has a history of struggling to keep it fresh. Before the development of the refrigerator, technology was developed to preserve freshness for as long as possible through preparations.

With the advent and widespread use of refrigerators, Japanese fish can now be enjoyed anywhere in Japan at any time of the year, allowing us to enjoy a variety of tastes of the sea throughout the year. Improvements in freezing technology to preserve the freshness of fish have reduced the need to prepare dried fish and other preserved foods, and fresh fish can now be enjoyed as sashimi. Japanese people, who are highly discerning about food, have long been considering how to maintain the freshness of their fish and how to preserve it for the long term.

The technology of super-freezing minimizes the damage to the cells of the fish, allowing for long-term storage and fresh fish preservation. The amazing thing is that the fish can be frozen immediately on the boat where it was taken. Since the fish is frozen in the same place it was caught, it is no wonder that Japanese fish is so fresh worldwide.

Moreover, freezing technology has also evolved during transport, so the freshness of the fish immediately after it is frozen can be delivered to various parts of the world. Freezing technology has been established and developed through the desire of engineers to bring Japanese fish to the other side of the world. Sushi, which has already gone from being a boom to a staple around the world, is largely thanks to Japan's excellent freezing technology.

Fish varies in variety and taste depending on where it was caught, so using Japanese fish is the best way to recreate Japanese sushi. The problem with traditional freezing is that it destroys the cells and causes the water to drip when thawing. The expansion of water breaks down the cells, so how to solve this problem was a major challenge.

The phenomenon of super-freezing, in which water does not freeze when placed below freezing and freezes the moment it is impacted, is a hint to the solution and development of freezing. When engineers realized that cooling while vibrating would not freeze, they found a way to do it without breaking the cells. This allowed them to develop the next generation of freezing technology that would preserve freshness and make it seem as if the moment it thaws, it stops and starts moving.

It's no exaggeration to say that this is truly a freezing process that stops time, because the water temperature drops and the fish is cooled while the cells remain intact. As a result, previously unimaginable foods can now be delivered to you, and you can taste them as fresh as if they were freshly caught, all year round.