Establishment of distribution system by individual packaging of live Todarodes pacificus

A packaging and distribution system for transferring individual live squids at low temperature was developed and compared to a conventional bulk container system. Ten live squids in individual packages were stored in a large container at low temperature (0~10°C). Live squids in individual packages at 6°C showed a survival rate of 84% up to 72 hours, after which the survival rate decreased. However, the survival rate remained at 60% up to 120 hours. Further, the squids survived up to a maximum of 7 days. Optimum temperature was 5°C, and the survival rate of the packages was 70% when stored at 5°C for 96 hours. A distribution test was carried out using a refrigerator truck at 5°C, and the results showed a 100% survival rate up to 16 hours and over 90% survival rate after 20 hours. A rectangular container was the most favorable when loading the container into the refrigerator truck. In testing the required volume of supplied seawater, 100% survival rate was observed over 15 hours with 20 L of sea water or more. Therefore, a single squid needed 2 L of seawater. After refrigerator truck transportation, optimum temperature for fish tank storage was 5°C, at which the survival rate was over 90% up to 72 hours. Using a refrigerator truck at 5°C, live squids survived up to 7 days, maintaining marketability.