How Seafood Preservation Technology Has Evolved
As the demand for fish has grown, it has become increasingly challenging to utilise more than a small percentage of the total volume landed without applying suitable pretreatments. Rather than eating fresh fish, more consumers must now rely on processed and value-added products to satisfy their taste for marine delicacies. Only the steady evolution of seafood preservation technology can ensure that these products are palatable and safe to eat. Furthermore, fish is widely touted as a healthier alternative to red meat, and some oily species, such as sardines, herrings, pilchards, mackerel, swordfish, and tuna are proven to have significant direct health benefits. The challenge for food processing companies is how best to preserve those valuable qualities.
The main factor complicating that challenge is the extreme perishability of marine creatures once removed from their natural environment. Smoking, salting, and cooking remain effective options. However, more recently, advances in seafood preservation technology include surface decontamination products, active packaging, and natural additives to inhibit various forms of post-mortem degradation. These techniques serve the dual functions of ensuring the safety of fresh fish and extending the shelf life of the many different products derived from it.
Much of the spoilage occurring in fresh fish after landing can be attributed to bacterial action on metabolites in its flesh. While these interactions can result in marked changes in colour and taste, they are generally not a threat to consumer safety. Nevertheless, they are invariably perceived as such and will remain unsold. Consequently, effective seafood preservation technology is as vital to the fisheries as it is to food-processing companies, retailers, and consumers. Let’s examine some of the more effective countermeasures currently applied in more detail.
Surface decontaminants include acids, ozone, and various naturally occurring antimicrobial substances. In the former category are the milder organic acids. These include citric, acetic, and lactic acids, and their sodium salts, all of which display marked antibacterial activity. They offer a safe, inexpensive, and effective means to suppress the growth of food spoilage organisms and various foodborne pathogens. The use of ozone in seafood preservation technology can be even more effective. The necessary contact times are lower than other sanitising agents, and it is effective against a broader range of pathogens. The latter include Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi, Vibrio cholera, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus.
Although the above methods have been proven safe, some chemical food additives have attracted adverse publicity, sparking a growing demand by consumers for milder and more natural alternatives. The trend has prompted scientists to investigate the protective measures employed by animals, plants, and microbes more closely. Some of the latest trends in seafood preservation technology now focus on the natural antibacterial and antimicrobial properties of various phenolic compounds found in herbs, spices, and essential oils. The research is continuing and shows promise. An extract of rosemary has already been shown to slow the growth of E. coli and S. aureus.
Vacuum and modified atmosphere packaging, using various mixtures of nitrogen and carbon dioxide, can help reinforce the effect of chemical preservatives in slowing the growth of bacteria responsible for spoilage in frozen fish products. However, until seafood preservation technology suggests otherwise, the tried-and-tested natural additives in the Tequisa range will remain the world’s leading choice for everyone involved in protecting the quality of fish. Contact us for more information.
