Canned Tuna and Packaging Methods – The Different Ways to Keep Them Fresh and Flavory
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Canned tuna was first produced commercially by the Southern California Fish Co. in 1903. The innovation is credited to Albert P. Halfhill, who was one of the pioneers in the American tuna canning industry. Halfhill began packing albacore tuna as an alternative to the sardines that were popular at the time. The new method of preserving tuna in cans helped popularize it as a convenient and long-lasting food product.
As a freak of canned tuna, probably you are, we suppose that it will be an interesting topic to reveal and share with you some hidden facts about the industrial packaging processes of canned tuna which you may have not known before from the perspective of a consumer. In this session we will discuss the different types and kinds of packaging equipment as well as the packaging method used to keep tuna fresh until you pull the tab on the can.
Canned Food Multipack Sleeving Expert
Credit: ELITER Packaging Machinery
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Industrial Packaging and Processing Equipment for Tuna Canning
Industrial packaging and processing equipment for tuna canning ensure product quality, safety, and efficiency. Modern automation and precision technology maximize productivity, meet food safety standards, and minimize waste, delivering fresh and nutritious canned tuna to consumers.
Featuring in the processing and packaging for tuna canning are technologies including cutting, grilling, sterilization, filling, seaming, washing and product handling, apart from some standard packaging processes like sleeving and case packing, which will be introduced in the following chapters.
Inline Sleever Machine for Canned Tuna
Credit: ELITER Packaging Machinery
Skinning and Boning Machine
A Skinning and Boning Machine for tuna canning is a specialized piece of equipment used in the processing of tuna to efficiently remove the skin and bones from tuna fillets. This machine is critical in preparing the fish for further processing and packaging, ensuring that the end product is free from unwanted parts and ready for consumption.
Functionality of Tuna Skinning and Boning Machine
- Skin Removal: The machine is equipped with sharp blades or rollers that carefully remove the skin from the tuna fillet without damaging the flesh. This process is crucial for ensuring the tuna is aesthetically pleasing and ready for canning.
- Bone Removal: It also incorporates mechanisms to detect and remove bones from the fillets. This step ensures that the final product is boneless, enhancing consumer safety and satisfaction.
- Automation: The machine automates the skinning and boning process, increasing efficiency and throughput while reducing the need for manual labour.
Pre-cooking Machine
Pre-cookers for tuna are specialized industrial machines used in the tuna canning process to partially cook the fish before further processing.
Vacuum tuna cooker Tunivac®
Credit: Hermasa
Pre-cookers apply controlled heat, often through steam or water, to ensure uniform cooking, which makes the tuna easier to handle, enhances its texture and flavour, and improves the efficiency of subsequent steps such as skinning and boning. By retaining moisture and inactivating spoilage enzymes, pre-cookers contribute to the overall quality and shelf life of the final canned product while maintaining hygienic standards and energy efficiency.
Filling Machine
A tuna can filling machine is a sophisticated industrial apparatus engineered to streamline the tuna canning process by automating the filling of cans with precise portions of tuna. This machine ensures consistency and accuracy, enhancing production efficiency. It features an advanced conveyor system that systematically positions empty cans for filling. Utilizing precise weight or volume measurements, the machine dispenses exact amounts of tuna into each can.
Varieties of Tuna Being Filled into Cans
Capable of accommodating various can sizes, the filling machine upholds stringent hygiene standards, minimizes manual labor, and accelerates production rates. By mechanizing the filling process, it guarantees product uniformity and quality, thereby optimizing the entire canning operation.
Filling tuna cans is also of different approaches and methods that will have impact on the texture and test of tuna. Do you know that filling tuna cans can be with either water or oil?
Canned Tuna Packed in Water vs. in Oil
Can Seamer
A can seamer is a highly specialized industrial machine designed to securely seal lids onto cans, ensuring the preservation and integrity of their contents. This advanced apparatus utilizes precise mechanical operations to crimp the lid to the can body, forming an airtight seal that protects the contents from contamination and spoilage. Equipped with intricate tooling and alignment mechanisms, can seamers can accommodate various can sizes
Sleeve Labelling Machine
A sleeve labelling machine is an advanced industrial device designed to apply sleeve labels onto tuna cans with precision and efficiency. This sophisticated equipment utilizes a conveyor system to transport cans through the labelling process, where heat or steam shrinks the sleeves tightly around the cans, ensuring a secure fit.
The machine is equipped with precise alignment mechanisms to ensure that each label is accurately positioned, maintaining consistent and high-quality presentation. Capable of handling various can sizes and label materials, the sleeve labelling machine enhances production speed while upholding rigorous hygiene standards.
By automating the labelling process, it not only improves the aesthetic appeal and brand visibility of the tuna cans but also optimizes the overall packaging operation, ensuring a professional and polished final product.
In the next section, we will mention another more sustainable alternative to shrink sleeve, which is referred to as carton sleeving or wrap-around cartoning.
Wrap Around Sleeve Machine
A wrap-around carton sleeve machine for tuna cans operates through a precise and efficient process: tuna cans are fed onto a conveyor belt that transports them into the machine, where they are aligned and spaced correctly.
Pre-cut carton sleeves are picked up from a magazine or hopper by a mechanical arm or vacuum system and positioned to match the incoming cans. As the cans pass through the wrapping section, the sleeves are wrapped around the cans by rollers or belts, with adhesive applied to secure the overlapping edges.
Tuna Cans Wrapped with Cardboard Sleeve
After wrapping, the cans may pass through a sealing station for additional pressure or heat to ensure a tight fit. The sleeved cans then undergo inspection for quality control before being conveyed to the discharge area, ready for packing and distribution. The entire process is controlled by an automation system equipped with sensors and PLC technology, ensuring precise operation, high-quality standards, and efficient production.
