This is to show the process we came up with to establish an automated fish smoking and drying business.

The requirements were a bit challenging.

1. The he finished smoked fish should be capable of being stored at room temperature for 5 months without it going bad
2. It should smell and taste like traditional smoked fish that we are used to in Nigeria, it should not be like oven dried fish that does not have the traditional smoky flavour.
3. The colour should resemble the colour of traditional smoked fish.
4. The smoked fish should pass EU smoked product specifications. This is not easy because of the challenge of getting the quantity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the smoked fish low enough to pass the EU regulations requirements.
5. The product should not be tough and should be easily softened when soaked in water.
6. No preservative should be added
7. The production process parameters should be programmable and repeatable.
8. The product should be safe for consumption and should not contain any additive that I can not eat.

It been a busy time. Will post some pictures of what we have been able to come up with.

Hope it encourages people to start some form of manufacturing activities.

Sample picture of product in process

Another picture

Some things to note are.

The oven is chinese made. We compared price from different suppliers from different countries.

It terms of quality, the oven from Sweden was the best we saw, but it cost about 4 times the cost of the Chinese oven.

To get a compromise between cost and quality we simply agreed with the Chinese that the automation system must be European made.

So things like motors and fans are Chinese made but the electronics components are European made.

One change that is making life easier for use now during operation is the decision to ensure that the trays holding the fishes during drying have non stick coatings.

It is really helpful, removing the fishes from the trays at the end of each drying cycle is so easy as the fishes does not stick to the trays.

For heating the oven we had several options to look at.

We could heat directly by cooking gas, by diesel or by electricity.

We also looked at indirect heating using steam.

Cooking gas and electricity turned out to be too expensive.

Direct heating with gas or diesel brought up the issue of the product contamination.

At the end of the day we agreed on indirect heating using steam.

So we had to get a steam generator that is heated by diesel.

The steam generator

After the installation, we had to start trying to get the right process conditions required to get the right product quality.

Installation was a bit of a nightmare in communication. The Chinese guys doing the installation did not come with the translator we agreed on and they don't understand English while we don't understand mandarin.

We resorted to sign language at first, then we discovered that weechat has automatic translator. So we stand side by side and send weechat messages to ourselves as a means of communicating.

That really helped.

Getting the drying parameters was critical.

We need to ensure that the drying rate is fast enough, the temperature also has to be right to ensure we get the right colour.

Below is the parameters that worked for us.

Smoked products causes cancer if not well prepared.

Since the products are meant for export, we needed to ensure that the product does not contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that causes cancer in smoked products.

We found a way to do that and got the HACCP Plan approved. This took a long time to achieve.

How we got the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons within EU tolerance limits is a trade secret so I will not be sharing it.

Molds and more molds.

Molds are a nightmare when you are producing baked products. They can cause massive spoilage and are more difficult to control than bacteria.

Mold spores are everywhere.

So how do you ensure that products are not spoilt by molds. Remember, preservatives are out of the question since we want a product without artificial preservatives.

Just ignore the e-rat above. He is frustrated that I joined in chasing is other lying moniker out of Nairaland.

I have no regrets helping to chase the mad moniker out of Nairaland.

We all know what happens to rats, they always get crushed anytime we choose to do something about them. We can give them poisoned bait, we can set traps for them, we can chase them round the house with brooms and flog them to death or we can set glue on their paths to trap them.

We can also ignore them if we choose to tolerate their nuisance.
We can treat e-rats the same way. They can eat poisoned bait joyously without knowing.

That being said, here are some ground rules.

My posts here are to share some of my experience in setting up the business and to document some of the things we did.

I am not a consultant, if anyone come in my name to solicit for consultancy job, chase such a person away. I don't have enough time for myself, so I don't have time to do consultancy for anyone.

2. I don't partner with any Nigerian. If anyone come in my name for partnership, chase such a person away. I only partner with members of my immediate family. Nigerians do not generally make good business partners in most cases.

If you partner with nigerians then you run these additional risks. if the business fails, he will accuse you of fraud irrespective of the cause of the business failure, if the business is successful, he will be looking for ways to eliminate you and keep 100% of the business to himself. So whether the business is successful or not, you are screwed.

3. I don't accept money from any Nigerian for business purposes. If anyone come in my name asking for any investment or payment, chase such a person away. Capital cost in Nigeria is too high to want to get capital from Nigeria and from Nigerians. There are many countries where you can get capital at less than 6% interest rate, why get capital at 20% interest rate from Nigerians. Also if you collect money from Nigerians and the business fails, then your life is at risk. They will come after your life. Do business with your savings. Start small and grow. If you must take money, take it as a business loan. If you default in paying back the loan for any reason, meet the lender and reschedule the payment term, do not go into any partnership because you are looking for investment money.

These advice is for those who value their peace of mind.

Liftitupo:

Tne business you set up in Nigeria or China? You are posting pictures from a Chinese firm which might not even know you exist.

The 2 monikers he was aiding and supporring are healthserve and kunleweb. Both have been banned. Becareful with this person. He is a cassava tuber seller who turned to international importer from China to Nigeria overnight. Go and read his post where he was asking people for contacts of starch buyers for his small cassava production.

Be fooling yourself online, you think everyone is a church rat like you.

You think I can not get you because this is a faceless forum. You are making a big mistake.

FarmTech
Pavore9
Letout
TangoAlpha
Mynd44
Bigcil2
Lalasticlala
Dominique
LoFarms

Is this how we'll allow character assassination become a norm on this forum.

You mods are permitting sycophants tarnish people's image for unjustifiable reasons


If I begin to track people's digitla footprints down to their DNS and have the state security have them picked up and then we head to court for libel which may see them enjoy five to seven years in prison. If I make such a move to please my soul and do this. Lots of people would gather me to bh shebi I sya I'm a Christian bla bla bla. Their elderly ones would knee, people would say don't I have parents


But you're permitting these guys to tarnish other people's image and ruin their reputation


Tell me why is blackmails, libel and character assassination becoming a norm on the forum. Is it not enough. Can't the Op post his thread in peace.


FG just banned or is about to ban fish import and this thread is even supposed to grcae front page so people cal learn from it and get educated. But you're allowing a miscreant tarnish other people's endeavors.


This is wrong. The gentleman's business is suffering a scar from your inactions mods


If you like keep lookin the other way. When people look the other way, evil perpetuates


I'll advise moving this thread to front page

Atlanticfire:
Molds and more molds.

Molds are a nightmare when you are producing baked products. They can cause massive spoilage and are more difficult to control than bacteria.

Mold spores are everywhere.

So how do you ensure that products are not spoilt by molds. Remember, preservatives are out of the question since we want a product without artificial preservatives.

Like I said molds are everywhere

Atlanticfire:


Like I said molds are everywhere

It is almost impossible to prevent contamination of processed food by mold spores.

Mold spores germinate on food when the right conditions exist and cause spoilage of such food.

Atlanticfire:
After the installation, we had to start trying to get the right process conditions required to get the right product quality.

Installation was a bit of a nightmare in communication. The Chinese guys doing the installation did not come with the translator we agreed on and they don't understand English while we don't understand mandarin.

We resorted to sign language at first, then we discovered that weechat has automatic translator. So we stand side by side and send weechat messages to ourselves as a means of communicating.

That really helped.

WeChat doesn't translate accurately. You need a Translator. You need someone like me.

Nat404:
WeChat doesn't translate accurately. You need a Translator. You need someone like me.

Nice that.you offered. We have finished the installation.

We still occasionally contact them for support, the marketing lady understands English so she helps us to pass our message to the technical guys when we need technical support. But if we need any other translation help I will contact you.

[s]

healthserve:

Is this how we'll allow character assassination become a norm on this forum.

You mods are permitting sycophants tarnish people's image for unjustifiable reasons

If I begin to track people's digitla footprints down to their DNS and have the state security have them picked up and then we head to court for libel which may see them enjoy five to seven years in prison. If I make such a move to please my soul and do this. Lots of people would gather me to bh shebi I sya I'm a Christian bla bla bla. Their elderly ones would knee, people would say don't I have parents

But you're permitting these guys to tarnish other people's image and ruin their reputation

Tell me why is blackmails, libel and character assassination becoming a norm on the forum. Is it not enough. Can't the Op post his thread in peace.


FG just banned or is about to ban fish import and this thread is even supposed to grcae front page so people cal learn from it and get educated. But you're allowing a miscreant tarnish other people's endeavors.

This is wrong. The gentleman's business is suffering a scar from your inactions mods

If you like keep lookin the other way. When people look the other way, evil perpetuates

I'll advise moving this thread to front page

[/s]

When different unrelated people in their separate interactions with you constantly accuse you of the same thing, you should check yourself.

I know you very well. So, the nonsense you typed up there doesn't fool me.

Atlanticfire:


Nice that.you offered. We have finished the installation.

We still occasionally contact them for support, the marketing lady understands English so she helps us to pass our message to the technical guys when we need technical support. But if we need any other translation help I will contact you.

Alright then.

@AtlanticFire kindly respond to your mail...I need to chat with you privately..thanks