ETAPA 1

Catch Inspection
Inspection is performed by controlling the quality, freshness, organoleptic characters, temperature and weight of the catch at the moment of arrival at dock. If it does not meet the requirements, the lot is discarded.

Purchase
Once the inspection is approved, the purchase of superior raw material is agreed.

Transportation to Engraulis
The fish is loaded in plastic containers of no more than 35 Kg. each, the time of loading is controlled, as well as the departure and arrival of trucks so as to achieve the fastest time of transportation possible in order to make a minimum time from the capture of the anchovy until its salting. This time never exceeds 6 hours.

ETAPA 2

Unloading
The time and way of arrival of the raw material is noted. If it does not meet the organoleptic classification, the lot is discarded.

Handling
The anchovy is carefully unloaded at the time of arrival (so as not to be crushed) in a transportation band in order to be washed.

Unflaking
The unflaking is done by the rubbing of the caught with the unflaking cylinder and the injection of pressurized water. The process is verified by a qualified operative, an unflaking per anchovy control is made and if it were to be necessary, the process will be repeated.

Preliminary salting
The anchovy is placed in bins with labels indicating date and lot, salt and brine is added, controlling the concentration of the same.

ETAPA 3

Beheading
The raw material is taken to the beheading sector where the operatives take the heads off manually and classify the fish according to size. The brine is discarded.

Salting
The anchovy is washed with brine, put in plastic drums and the amount of salt is controlled. The drums are labelled according to date, number of lot and size. Then, they receive a plastic lid with weight in order to eliminate fat and water.

Maturation
During this important process, the time and temperature of the anchovy is controlled. It is a critical operation since this is the stage where taste and aroma of the product are obtained in order to satisfy the demands of the highest gastronomic qualities.

ETAPA 4

Skining
The anchovy is treated with a machine designed to take away the skin. The ventral zone is cut with special scissors (Under Strict Supervision of the Quality Control Chief).

Filleting
Manually and individually, the female operatives, using their hands and in a handicraft fashion, separate the fillets and rests of skin and fish bones.

Tidiness
It is important for its commercial presentation that the fillets are even, complete and free of rests. This way, not only the product is pleasant to the sight but also to the taste.

ETAPA 5

Disposal in packs
Anchovy fillets are packed in can or glass flasks according to their size in: strips in small and big cans and transversally in vacuum, rolled in the middle in flasks, rolled with capers in 2 oz. cans and in bulk in flasks. Colour, aroma and weight are controlled.

Oil pouring
The cans run through an automatic band where sunflower or olive oil is poured. Before being closed, we wait for the product to tamp down and allow the exit of air between the fillets.

Closing
The cans are riveted and the flasks closed. The right riveting of the cans is verified, according to the format and machine, and the closure of the flasks as well as their final weight.

ETAPA 6

Washing
The flasks and cans are washed in a machine with water and a special can cleaner. Then, rinsed and dried up with air.

Packing
The cans are placed in individual cases and the flasks labeled. Then they are grouped in cardboard boxes or shrink wraps in order to make their handling and transportation easier, under strict supervision of the quality control chief.

Storing

The product is stored in a cooling chamber at an average temperature of +5 degres Celsius.

ETAPA 7

Shipping in containers
The refrigerated containers are loaded in truck and taken to the ship.

Sanitary controls
All the materials, process and products used for the elaboration are approved by SENASA. Besides, Engraulis S.A. carries exhaustive bromatological controls in several stages of the production in order to guarantee the freshness and quality of the final product.