Fish Boxes
Fish boxes are commonly used in the food industry. Usually made of polystyrene, their primary purpose is to keep fish fresh or frozen while they are being transported.
Polystyrene Fish Boxes
By far the most popular type of fish boxes are made from polystyrene. This substance has the advantage of being cheap and lightweight, as well as having the insulating properties necessary to keep the fish cold or frozen for extended periods. In addition to this, fish boxes that have been manufactured so that they have air tight lids can help prevent condensation forming at the various stages of the transport process. This is valuable because condensation (indeed excess water in general, apart from ice which helps in preservation) significantly reduces the shelf life of fish or whatever other foods are being transported in the polystyrene box. Of course air tight lids also help in temperature control: with no air from outside able to enter, the fish or shellfish being transported can be kept cooler for longer.
Polystyrene fish boxes can come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The primary reason for this is that boxes need to be produced to take account of the different sizes of fish that are transported from the docks to food distribution companies, and then onto retailers or factories. In addition to this, different quantities of fish need transporting at different stages of the supply chain: when moving fish from the docks to a factory or distribution centre large boxes will be needed, while when delivering fish from a local storage depot to a fishmonger or other retailer, smaller boxes will be needed.
Plastic Fish Boxes
Another option when transporting fish is to use plastic fish boxes. These work in much the same way as polystyrene boxes: they are designed to keep the fish cold during transport, and to reduce decay from unwanted contact with the atmosphere and also unwanted water. The benefit when using them (as opposed to polystyrene fish boxes) is that they are generally more robust, especially if made with high grade plastic. The drawback is that they are more expensive, adding to transport costs. Though they perform their task very well, in the middle of a recession this increased cost could be prohibitive.
Damage Reduction
A major reason for using fish boxes to transport fish and shellfish is damage reduction. One of the big problems with the transport of perishable or delicate food is that it can get damaged in transit: this can significantly reduce the value of food, sometimes making it completely unsalable. The use of a fish box helps guard against this, mitigating the effects of the bumps and buffeting food receives when being transferred between storage spaces and vessels and when being driven from one place to another. Since more fish arrives in its original condition, the cost of buying the fish boxes is more than justified, especially as they can be reused.