| ESCARGOT
SNAIL PRODUCTS
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I developed a wide range of products containing snails.
They can be categorized into two groups :
1. LOW PROCESSED ESCARGOT PRODUCTS
2. HIGH PROCESSED ESCARGOT PRODUCTS.
1. LOW PROCESSED ESCARGOT PRODUCTS
In the high processed ESCARGOT snail products, the low processed snail is processed into convenient products which can be immediately prepared. However, I developed some products for the customer who only needs the snail itself, to use in his or her own recipes of snail dishes.1.a. ESCARGOT SIXPACK
In this product, a serving of 12 Small, or 6 Medium or Large snails (Petit Gris, Gros Gris or Achatina) are packed onto a plastic tray (180 micron Clear PVC, 100x75 mm) with six cavities. This tray is vacuum-skin wrapped (Magiwrap/Skinfill - skin packaging machine) and further packed in cardboard packaging suitable for easy handling and transport. This individual packaging method in serving packs allows handling, selection and evaluation of the individual snail with ease, without loss of unused snails as can be the case with tins or jars.I designed the plastic tray
and had it made specifically for this product.
1.b. ESCARGOT VACUUM PACK
24 Small, or 12 Medium or Large snails (Petit Gris, Gros Gris or Achatina) are packed into a vacuum bag which is vacuum sealed (conventional vacuum packaging machines - MULTIVAC). Large amounts, up to 1 kg can be packed in this way as well. These packs are further packed into a cardboard outer case suitable for easy handling and transport.All the Low processed products are preserved frozen at -18 C or can be kept chilled for two weeks at 4 C when treated with ionized radiation.
I established the correct
irradiation dosages for the low processed snail products with the help
of a 'High Energy Processing' Company in the Cape for the irradiation and
a Micro- biological Lab Company for the bacteriological analysis of the
samples.
The services of this last
company were also used for other regular tests on food quality and contamination.
I also did research in Individual Quick Freezing of low processed snails in a convection Liquid Nitrogen freezer. Products can be further developed using this technique, when the market requires them.
2. HIGH PROCESSED ESCARGOT PRODUCTS
The low processed snails are further processed into 'finished' high processed products.2.a. ESCARGOT BABY SNAILS ON A CRADLE OF MUSHROOM
15 Petit Gris or Gros Gris size Small on a blanched and seasoned brown mushroom, topped with garlic butter and frozen for preservation. 10 to 15 minutes in the oven and the dish is ready to be served.2.b. ESCARGOT BABY SNAILS IN GARLIC BUTTER
15 Petit Gris or Gros Gris size Small embedded in garlic butter and frozen for preservation. 5 to 10 minutes heated in an oven and the snail dish is ready to be served.I designed the plastic tray
for product 2.a. and 2.b. and had them specifically made for these products.
2.c. ESCARGOT SNAILS IN PASTA SAUCE
20 Petit Gris in shells in a tomato pasta sauce, sterilized in a 375 ml glass jar. Heat up the contents and serve on a pasta.I established the sterilizing process of this product with the help of a conventional steam retort.
2.d. ESCARGOT CONVENIENCE SIXPACK
A serving of six snails (Petit Gris, Gros Gris or Achatina) is imbedded in garlic butter or a blue cream cheese sauce and packed in a plastic tray with six cavities, each of them containing one snail (or two in the case of size Small). This tray is frozen, each serving packed into a plastic bag and finally packed per 24 servings into a Mitex cardboard box of 105 x 270 x 270 mm. The customer simply needs to take the tray out of the freezer, take it out of its bag, pop the frozen buttered snails (comes out easier when held under cold tap water for 10 seconds) into a heat proof tray and finally heat it in a microwave oven for 5 minutes (medium power) or a conventional oven for 10 minutes at 200 C (400 F).The product (as well as all the other frozen high processed ESCARGOT products) is stocked at a maximum temperature of -18 C and can be kept as such for at least 6 months after manufacturing date. The customer can keep it for at least 3 months at -12 C.
I designed the plastic tray
and had it specifically made for this product.
I also developed the recipe
for the garlic butter and the blue cream cheese sauce.
2.e. ESCARGOT SNAIL TRAY
A ceramic tray is filled with snails in garlic butter and frozen for preservation. This tray comes packed in a sealed bag and is labelled to suit the retail market. The customer only needs to take the tray out of its packaging and to heat it up in an oven before serving. The tray can be refilled with the use of the ESCARGOT REFILL.I designed the ceramic tray
and had this made by a ceramics company in Cape Town.
2.f. ESCARGOT SNAIL REFILL
This product is the ESCARGOT CONVENIENCE SIXPACK packed in a sealed bag and labelled to suit the retail market.I designed all the packaging and labelling for the retail products (2.e. and 2.f.) as well.