Safety and Quality

Seafood safety & quality

What are seafood safety and quality?

Australian consumers demand and deserve seafood that is both safe to consume and of a high quality.
Safety relates to the assurance that a seafood will not cause harm (as a result of biological, physical or chemical hazards) to the consumer when it is stored, prepared and/or eaten according to its intended use. Safety is a particularly important issue when seafoods are to be eaten raw as cooking destroys many potentially harmful contaminants.
Quality refers to the positive attributes of a seafood that are required or stated as being necessary by an industry or client standard. Seafood quality can be assessed by its appearance, odour, texture and taste.
The concepts of safety and quality differ. Safety dictates the non-negotiable characteristics that must be present for a product to be fit for human consumption whereas quality defines other characteristics that determine what a product is fit for. For example, two rocklobsters may be equally safe to eat, but if one has damaged legs it will be considered of lesser quality than a complete rocklobster when required for display. Furthermore, quality can be subjective: seafood considered acceptable by one consumer might be unacceptable to another. Generally, the more positive attributes a product has or the less variation there is in a particular pack or line of product, the higher the perceived level of quality, and vice versa.
To keep seafood safe and to maintain quality it is necessary to identify and control safety hazards and quality spoilers. This is the shared responsibility of the industry, governments and the seafood-eating public. Primary and secondary hazards and spoilers are listed in the two tables below.

Primary seafood safety hazards and quality spoilers

Secondary seafood safety hazards and quality spoilers

Why are safety and quality important?

Thousands of Australian consumers contract food-borne illnesses every day, a situation that costs the community millions of dollars each year. Through the implementation of food safety systems in all production stages, the risk of contracting such illnesses can be reduced. Furthermore, any seafood safety incident, such as food poisoning or product contamination, can have a devastating impact on all sectors of the seafood industry, possibly threatening the commercial viability of certain operations.
Consumers today can afford to be very demanding when it comes to food quality. If the quality of one food does not meet their standards, they will select an alternative or not purchase at all. Higher quality is an important source of competitive advantage in the food industry.
To protect and promote the industry, the seafood served to consumers must be both safe and of the highest possible quality.

Food safety regulations

Australian laws regulating food safety and hygiene, of which seafood safety is a part, are under the jurisdiction of state, territory and local government health authorities. These laws are intended to ensure that rigorous safety measures are applied throughout the supply chain, and, if you are in any sector of the seafood industry, they apply to you. They have been designed to make the production of safe, clean food easier. Food standards are under the jurisdiction of The Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) who publish relevant information in the national Food Standards Code. For more information contact your local and state government health authorities.
It is desirable that every food business have in place a food safety program. These programs require the use of good manufacturing practices and most use Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) to manage food safety. HACCP:
• identifies and analyses hazards;
• identifies where and how hazards are controlled;
• establishes specifications to control hazards;
• covers supervision and monitoring of controls;
• states how hazards, when not in control, are brought back under control;
• verifies that the food safety program is working and appropriate;
• includes keeping of detailed records and allows for fine tuning.

Temperature

Many hazards and spoilers are encouraged by fluctuating temperatures. To allow the temperature of seafood to increase is to invite faster microbial growth and a subsequent loss in safety and quality. The spoilage rate is a function of the micro-organisms present, the temperature and the time. The most appropriate temperatures for common handling activities are listed in the table below. Fresh seafood is defined as that which has not been below –1°C; frozen seafood is that which has been kept below –1°C continually since its initial freezing.

Appropriate temperatures for seafood

Hygiene

When it comes to keeping seafood safe, no product is entirely risk free. However, steps can be taken to minimise the risk of causing illness. “Hygiene” is the term used to describe the science of preserving health, and the associated practices and procedures. This means making sure that there is never any build-up anywhere, at any time, of anything that provides a good home for micro-organisms such as bacteria and viruses. Hygiene involves following:

• cleaning and sanitising practices (pp 175–178);
• personal hygiene practices (pp 179–180);
• sound seafood handling practices (pp 181–182).

These three areas are summarised in the following pages, particularly for those who work “hands on” in the seafood business. Those in management positions however have additional responsibilities.

Management responsibilities

Maintaining safety and hygiene standards is a responsibility shared by an entire organisation. People in management however have responsibilities to provide other staff with the leadership, guidance and tools that allow acceptable standards to be met. Specifically, it is important that management:

• keep abreast of current food safety laws (see previous page);
• set up sound hygiene practices and procedures;
• develop a food safety system;
• give staff the required training.

If you manage staff in a seafood business, check the latest seafood safety practices with government health authorities. Seafood Services Australia (see glossary entry) can provide additional assistance.

Cleaning and sanitising practices

All surfaces and utensils that come into contact with raw or cooked seafood should be thoroughly cleaned and sanitised frequently and regularly. This includes benches, cutting boards, bins, serving tongs, vehicles and trays.

Cleaning

Cleaning removes visible dirt and such items as blood, guts and scales. It can also help reduce the number of micro-organisms on a product contact surface.

Sanitising

Sanitising kills micro-organisms such as bacteria on a cleaned surface and so reduces their number to a safe level. Sanitisers are not good cleaners, so an area or surface must be well cleaned before it can be sanitised effectively.

Why do we clean and sanitise?

Some of the more important reasons to clean and sanitise your seafood work area are:

• to meet legal requirements for operating a food premises;
• to remove dirt and waste that could contaminate seafood;
• to reduce food spoilage and prevent food poisoning;
• to prevent harbouring of and/or infestation by rodents and insects;
• to improve the safety and shelf life of seafood products by reducing the numbers of harmful micro-organisms;
• to remove odour-causing bacteria and reduce the chances of “off” flavours;
• to lengthen the life of equipment and prevent it from staining and filming;
• to improve the safety and morale of staff.

How to clean and sanitise

Design your own cleaning and sanitising schedule for the food preparation area and display it for all staff to see. An example of a complete cleaning and sanitising routine follows. Each step is applied to the floors, walls, benches, sinks, equipment and any other surface with which seafood might come in contact. Use of detergents and sanitisers must match the instructions on the label. Do not purchase detergents or sanitisers that have no label or that are not labelled clearly.

1. Dry wipe and sweep

Dry wipe with a scourer and then sweep with a broom.

2. Warm rinse

Rinse with warm water. This will soften any organic matter such as blood and fish guts. Hot water is not recommended until the final rinse (step 6) because it causes organic matter to set and become very difficult to remove.

3. Scrub

Scrub with a nylon brush using clean warm water and the right detergent (cleaner) to remove dirt and other material. Leave for about 10 minutes.
Detergent loosens and lifts the dirt and other foreign material. The effectiveness of a detergent depends on:

• contact time (the longer the better);
• temperature (the correct temperature must be used—hotter is not always better);
• concentration (according to the manufacturer’s instructions).

Avoid using an agent that combines detergent and sanitiser because the effects of the sanitiser can be destroyed by contact with dirt or other foreign material.

4. Warm rinse again

All areas must be well rinsed with clean warm water to ensure that no dirt or other foreign material remains and a detergent film does not form. If you can, rinse by hosing out the entire area using a low-pressure hose.

5. Apply sanitiser

Apply the sanitiser and leave it on for the recommended time to allow the chemicals it contains to work. Remember to use a short residual-life chemical like chlorine if the surfaces are to be used shortly afterwards. Do not use phenol sanitisers as they leave a residue that can taint the seafood.

The effective use of sanitisers depends on:
• their concentration (according to the manufacturer’s instructions);
• the contact time (according to the manufacturer’s instructions);
• their surface coverage;
• the number of micro-organisms present on the surface.

6. Hot rinse

Rinse with hot water. Use clean, hot water to rinse off sanitised surfaces. A sanitiser should not be left on any surface longer than is recommended on the label. Some sanitisers can be corrosive on metals such as aluminium. Some sanitisers do not require rinsing off.

7. Flush drain

Flush the drainage system for several minutes, with high-pressure water. This will help remove dirt and other foreign material that can build-up in the drain and become a food source for odour-causing bacteria.

8. Dry

Dry all areas and equipment or ensure that they air dry quickly. This will help control the growth of unwanted micro-organisms. If a bench top needs to be dried quickly, use disposable paper towels, not a tea-towel.

Do not forget your deep fryer

Deep fryers must be cleaned thoroughly, like all other equipment. This can be achieved if you:

1. drain all the oil from the tank;
2. fill with a heavy duty alkaline detergent and boil until clean;
3. rinse with hot water;
4. rinse with a solution of cold vinegar to neutralise the alkali;
5. rinse with cold water.

Items such as deep fryers, shelves, rubbish areas and cash registers must be kept clean as you go and thoroughly cleaned at least once a week.
You should direct any questions about the use of detergents and sanitisers to a reputable cleaning chemicals manufacturer.

When to clean and sanitise

At the beginning of the day

Every piece of equipment and surface is sanitised before any food is brought back in contact with them. This will reduce any build-up of bacteria since the premises were last used; the importance of this activity cannot be overstressed.

At the end of the day

This is a major clean when every piece of equipment and every surface is both cleaned and sanitised. Left-over scraps are removed from the building or sealed in waste removal bags and stored in an appropriate place.

As you go

While working, frequently clean surfaces and utensils to keep them free of seafood scraps. It is very important that you clean these areas before they dry because dried finfish scales and slime are difficult to remove from areas where seafood is processed.
A weekly cleaning and sanitising roster should be developed clearly indicating which tasks need to be done, by whom, when and where. This information should be located where all staff have easy access to it, and should include provision for relevant staff to initial tasks when they have been performed.

Check whether it has been done right

1. Look at the working surfaces

Do they look clean and dry or do they look streaky and feel greasy? If they are streaky and greasy, they have not been cleaned correctly.
Test stainless steel surfaces by rubbing them with a clean white tissue. If the surface is clean, the tissue should not have any discolouration.
To test for grease, run water over the surface. If there is grease on the surface, the pattern of the water flow will break up.

2. Move equipment

Move equipment if possible. This will show whether all areas have only been wiped or if they have been properly cleaned and sanitised.

3. Check under equipment

Run your finger under a bench to see if areas have been properly cleaned or just wiped.

4. Use your nose

If you can smell it, clean it. Seafood storage and preparation areas should not have a strong “fishy” odour. If they do, it is because they have not been properly cleaned and could therefore harbour unwanted bacteria.
Also remember that “smells clean, feels clean and looks clean” does not necessarily mean microbiologically clean. Always follow good cleaning and sanitising practices.

TIPS:
• Cleaning scourers are more hygienic than cloths.
• Squeegees should be used wherever possible, instead of mops.
• Cleaning implements made of nylon or similar materials should replace those made of wood or other vegetable matter (such as natural bristles).
• Disposable hand towels are preferable to continuous cloth or forced-air dryers.
• Be sure to clean under and behind appliances such as cash registers and refrigerators; cockroaches and other vermin tend to gather in such places.

Example of a cleaning and sanitising roster*

*Management must ensure that cleaning and sanitising staff are comprehensively trained.

Personal hygiene practices

Personal hygiene is essential when handling and preparing seafood. Hair, hands and fingernails require special attention as they harbour bacteria that may contaminate seafood.

Place a sign or poster where staff can see it, outlining the following points:

IS SOMETHING FISHY HERE?
IT COULD BE YOU!

Sound seafood handling practices

Seafood is frequently handled throughout the supply chain, and the keys to safe and high-quality product are sound seafood handling practices. Seafood hygiene means using seafood handling practices that prevent hazards such as harmful micro-organisms, chemicals and foreign material from making good homes in foods and possibly causing illness in those who consume them.

Poor seafood handling practices can lead to many undesirable effects, including:
• faster rates of spoilage;
• loss of quality;
• shorter shelf life (storage life) of seafood;
• eating of unsafe or poor-quality seafood;
• loss of seafood and of customers.

Some buyers pay more attention to the price of seafood than to the way it has been handled. Yet no matter what the price, seafood poorly handled is not only a waste of money but also a waste of product.
Seafood spoilage cannot be avoided but it can be significantly delayed by always following the “Super Seven of Sound Seafood Handling” (listed below) when receiving, storing, preparing and serving seafood. Similarly, seafood safety risks are significantly reduced by always following the “Super Seven”.

The super seven of sound seafood handling

1. Handle carefully

Always handle seafood carefully, to reduce physical damage. Bruising will cause changes in flavour and texture. Broken and exposed flesh can cause a quickening of bacterial spoilage through contamination, and/or an increase in the rate of enzymatic deterioration, oxidation and dehydration. Never bend product while it is in rigor or the flesh will gape.

2. Sort, grade and separate

Sort seafood by separating according to species, batch, to whether it is raw or cooked, and to physical condition (for example, damaged or undamaged). Grade the seafood according to size and quality.
Avoid cross-contamination by keeping separated live, raw, prepared, cooked, and ready-to-eat seafood.
Use separate areas, utensils and containers for different types of seafood. For example, utensils used for raw seafood should never be used for cooked seafood. Colour coded utensils and containers can help prevent cross-contamination.

3. Keep it clean

Rinse seafood (except dried or smoked) under cold, running portable water before preperation (using iced, salted water lessens temperature rise and flavor loss). In addition, the equipment used, any surfaces that come in contact with seafood, and the people handeling the seafood must be appropriately cleaned and sanitises. This removes forigen matter, limits the spread of bacteria, avoids cross-contamination, and maintains the product's visual appeal.

4. Keep it cool

Chilled seafood must be stored in a clean, tidey enviroment between -1°C and +4°C (if not live) and frozen seafood at -18°C or below. This helps control the build-up of bacteria and the harmful action of enzymes - higher temperatures mean shorter shelf life. Allways use a calibrated thermometer to check the temperature.

5. Keep it covered

Seafood must be covered to prevent contamination and damage, and to slow the rate of oxidation and dehydration.

6. Keep it moist

Seafood must be kept moist to minimise weight loss and to prevent dehydration, which can adversely affect its appearance, texture and flavor.

7. Keep it moving

Keep seafood moving by:
• using it as soon as possible;
• soring it as soon as it is received;
• using a good storage rotation system (first in first out);
• preparing it as soon as it is thawed or removed from the chiller;
•serving it, or returning it to the storage facility, as soon as it is prepared.

All these pratices, together with quick cooking at high temperatures, help prevent contamination and build-up of bacteria. However, sound seafood handleing pratices are not limited to the "Super Seven". Other factors, for example the material from which fish contact surfaces are made, will either favor or hinder hygiene.

Determining the quality of seafood

In the day-to-day operations of a business that handles seafood, decisions need to be made about product quality. How can higher-quality product be distinguished from lesser-quality product?

Lesser-quality seafood is seafood that has suffered some obvious spoilage or damage. It may also have dubious labelling or documentation associated with it. Chemical changes in the flesh that accompany spoilage can be identified and measured using laboratory tests. However, sensory analyses (i.e. using our senses such as sight and smell) are far more useful for deciding on quality in the marketplace or kitchen, and are therefore presented here.

Sensory quality assessment checks vary for different types of seafoods. However, some checks can be generally applied to all seafood and these are listed in the table on the following page. This table should be used in conjunction with the more specific tables for each seafood type that appear on the pages following. There are also tables covering dried, frozen, smoked and canned or bottled seafood.

The tables all describe the “higher quality” and “lesser quality” attributes of seafood products. Generally, the following guidelines can be applied:
• higher quality—the seafood can be safely kept at an appropriate temperature for a time based on the product’s shelf life
• mixture of higher quality and lesser quality—the seafood should be eaten almost immediately, or discarded (depending on which criteria are “lesser”)
• lesser quality—the seafood may need to be discarded in some cases (when in doubt, throw it out). Contact your supplier immediately.

There are four main sensory quality criteria for seafood:
• appearance (look)
• odour (smell)
• texture (feel)
• taste (taste)

Seafood with any of the following attributes should be discarded:
• unpleasant appearance (lesions, ulcers, yellow slime, etc.)
• foreign, unpleasant or unknown odours
• texture soft and mushy
• foreign, unpleasant or unknown flavours or significant loss of flavour

Texture and taste checks are not always possible until after a seafood product is purchased. In most cases, it is against food safety laws for a consumer to touch or handle seafood before purchase. But a seafood’s appearance and odour can give major clues to its quality.

When deciding on the quality of seafood, it must be remembered that quality is determined by examining both the product itself and its surrounds (such as containers or ice). Other factors such as the way in which the seafood was caught, chilled, stored and displayed will also affect its quality. Although not included in the following tables, these “non-product” attributes should be taken into account when deciding on the quality of particular seafood.

All seafood

Finfish — whole or fillet; chilled or thawed

The quality assessment checks listed below are specific to finfish; some entries (e.g. gills) relate only to whole finfish, and others (e.g. flesh colour) relate only to fillets. The eyes, gills, scales and slime of finfish, generally deteriorate faster than the flesh. Refer also to the general quality assessment checks for all sensory criteria (opposite), which cover all seafood.

Prawns — uncooked or cooked; chilled or thawed

The quality assessment checks listed below are specific to prawns. Refer also to the general quality assessment checks for all sensory criteria (p. 184), which cover all seafood.

Crustaceans (excluding prawns) — uncooked or cooked; live; chilled or thawed

The quality assessment checks listed below are specific to crustaceans other than prawns. Please refer also to the general quality assessment checks for all sensory criteria (p. 184), which cover all seafood.

Mussels, oysters and other bivalves — live or uncooked; shucked and chilled

The quality assessment checks listed below are specific to bivalves. Please refer also to the general quality assessment checks for all sensory criteria (p. 184), which cover all seafood.

Scallops — uncooked; shucked and chilled or thawed

The quality assessment checks listed below are specific to scallops. Please refer also to the general quality assessment checks for all sensory criteria (p. 184), which cover all seafood.

Squids, cuttlefishes and octopuses (cephalopods) — uncooked; chilled or thawed
The quality assessment checks listed below are specific to cephalopods. Please refer also to the general quality assessment checks for all sensory criteria (p. 184), which cover all seafood.

Dried seafood such as beche-de-mer

Please refer also to the general quality assessment checks for all sensory criteria (p. 184), which cover all seafood.

Sea urchin

Please refer also to the general quality assessment checks for all sensory criteria (p. 184), which cover all seafood.

Frozen seafood

A thorough assessment of the quality of frozen seafood is not possible. A few characteristics can be checked, but only when the product is thawed can a more thorough assessment be made.

Smoked seafood

Please refer also to the general quality assessment checks for all sensory criteria (p. 184), which cover all seafood.

Canned, bottled (including pickled) and tubbed seafood

The information provided here is very general and more specific quality assessment checks are required for different products.