However, a new technology developed few years ago by mechanical engineer Hernando Decena paved way for a revolutionary method in seafood and meat postharvest. Called the brine immersion freezer or BIF, this newfangled concept allows farmers to preserve their aquatic and meat products for several days without reducing its quality and weight loss. For this reason, farmers and fishermen can command better prices for their produce because the technology would help preserve freshness and quality of their harvest for longer periods of time.

The BIF has already been endorsed by the Department of Agriculture in its pursuit to minimise postharvest deficits that reaches 40% in farm losses.  In fact, the agency has already granted the equipment to the town of Sariaya in Quezon province to the delight of fish and livestock raisers who are already enjoying BIF's benefits. In due time, Decena believes that more BIF machines will be dispersed nationwide to boost the country's competitiveness as trade liberalization pumps up stiffer competition in the global trade arena.

 

Although it has long been used in other countries such as in India and the United States, what makes the local BIF novel is its ability to reach a -40ºC temperature from the usual -25 to -30ºC temperature. "This is to shorten the freezing time for farmers to sell their produce right away without affecting the quality. Our BIF is the only freezing machine in the world that can reach -40ºC and bacteria or any microorganism for this matter cannot survive this temperature so this will create less damage in meat and fish," tells Decena. Previously used for freezing fish products, the domestic pork trade prompted Decena to enhance the machine three years ago. "We used to transport livestock from Visayas and Mindanao to be slaughtered here in Manila but sometimes the animals get sick or they die during the transit. So we thought it best that the meat should be slaughtered there, already butchered into loins and other cut-parts before they are being shipped here. To preserve the meat, it should need a very high-tech freezing facility and that's how I came up with a more improved BIF."

Though Filipinos prefer to buy fresh meat on the market rather than the frozen ones, Decena assures that the BIF will not diminish the meat's freshness. "If you think about it, the BIF-treated meat is much fresher than the ones hanging on the wet markets because freshly-slaughtered meat is susceptible to pathogens during transport. The quality of BIF-frozen is preserved, therefore consumers are assured that the meat coming to the market is handled carefully and is certainly safe".

The BIF revolutionary freezing technology works using the super-conductive liquid instant freeze which allows instant freezing that eliminates the use of ice and crystallization, hence preserving the flavour and texture of frozen products. Under the old conventional freezing method, ice is used to preserve fish and other perishable food items which lead to crystallization that alters the crispness of the product.  Using a thin film during freezing, BIF chills the meat and fish in Styrofoam boxes without the use of ice, thus, eliminating the hassle of farmers of shelling out more money to buy more ice. "Fishermen always worry about preserving their fish because it spoils quickly so they sell it even at a loss. But with BIF, they can always catch and raise fish as many as they can without being anxious on how to keep its freshness. They can freeze it and fish again and sell it in a time that they want to. In this case, they can also command better prices and plan better marketing schemes," shares Decena. Unlike the usual ice-freezing scheme, BIF can still maintain the weight of the products. For instance, half of the total weight of a 20-kilo of fish includes ice but with BIF, all of 20 kilos are being achieved. The superb innovation of BIF can freeze products even within a year depending on the size and volume without diminishing its quality.

Moreover, the machine can miraculously retain the flavour after two to three days of BIF, just like a newly-caught fish when grilled or cooked in other ways. From the unusual three to four hours, BIF freezing time will only take three to forty five minutes depending on the size and type. BIF is also movable as the machine is on a wheeled stand, making it easy to move around and can be plugged to any electrical outlet.

Consuming 120 kilowatts per ton of electricity and occupies 40 square meters of floor space, the BIF can be manned by four personnel. It can freeze at least 1.5 tonnes a day or 500 kilos of meat daily. Unlike the complications of new inventions, BIF can be used just like a microwave oven—place the products inside the machine and punch in the designated temperature. 

With its progress, the BIF is now also used to treat fruits and vegetables, making the machine the most viable postharvest equipment in the country.

Indeed, BIF can do wonders for local agriculture and it won't be long before the machine can be seen in all parts of the country.

 

Since Filipino farmers are known to shy away from new technologies, Decena admits it was previously difficult to introduce BIF to the countryside. "Traditionally, farmers don't like new technologies because they say its an added cost and we know that our farmers are among the poorest sectors in our country. But once they get to know the benefits, they will definitely want one for their cooperative or in their province since BIF is created for farmers groups, not for individuals."

The objective of BIF, according to Decena, is not just to reduce postharvest losses but for the country to finally achieve food sufficiency and to hoist its competitiveness in the global commerce.

"Although we started the study five years ago, I was already thinking of a way how to boost our country's chances in world food trade. During the 1970s, Japan and other developed countries have already been using BIF. Their fishing grounds are miles away from the processing so they would have their BIF machines near the fishing area so that they would just treat the fish after the catch and sell them shortly after. So when I saw that and some of my colleagues think that it is feasible to further develop BIF, I thought of enhancing that technology to help our farming community because agriculture is our lifeblood here. We have potentials and we only have to rediscover it."

Decena's main goal is to achieve harvest sufficiency for all agri-industries and to reduce the load of farmers particularly on the marketing side. With BIF, all farmers have to do is to increase their productivity.

"I would want farmers to just concentrate on raising more pigs, chicken and fish, plant more corn and crops and leave the marketing to other parties because postharvest losses will significantly reduce with the use of BIF and hopefully from other emerging postharvest machines. When we did this study, it was a lean season for vegetables so with BIF, we can expect vegetables or crops even if it's out of season especially during rainy days that we usually don't have the crops. It's the same with meat and fish, we can meet the demand even if we don't have enough supply. And farmers won't have the problem of selling their perishable products even at a loss because the BIF can preserve its shelf-life for a long period. Eventually, farmers can still plan ahead--better cropping period as well as better marketing schemes. That way our farmers will not be on the losing end and we'll have a good agricultural trade and a chance to be a powerhouse in the agriculture arena especially with all the free trade agreements that commands tough global market," concludes Decena.