How Important Is Seafood Quality Control
Many will recall the outbreak of listeriosis in South Africa. It continued to affect consumers from January 2017 to July 2018. After claiming 216 lives, its origin was subsequently traced to contaminated polony, and the event has since been ranked as the world’s largest outbreak of this life-threatening illness. Salmonella is also a common contaminant found in chicken and eggs. Like processed meats and poultry products, seafood quality control measures are also required to ensure consumer safety.
The Need for Seafood Quality Control
Much of the problems associated with maintaining food safety and quality result from the massive demands of a market numbered in billions. It is no longer possible to prevent the deterioration of perishables for the prolonged periods necessary for worldwide distribution. Most meat, vegetables, and fish have migrated from dedicated stores to supermarket shelves and must be frozen or otherwise processed to extend their shelf life. Furthermore, there are probably no consumers on the planet who don’t have access to fish in its many forms, making seafood quality control a priority for the fishing industry.
When in their natural environment, most marine species act as a host for various microorganisms. While most of these are not harmful to humans, they cause rapid decay and spoilage following the death of a fish. However, a few species, such as Campylobacter, Klebsiella, Aeromonas, and Streptococcus are less benign. Consequently, the fishing industry must employ whatever measures are necessary to prevent spoilage and eliminate any risk of infection to consumers. While such steps are essential, they are not the only requirements of an effective seafood quality control programme.
While even freshly caught fish have a strong characteristic odour, it is relatively easy to recognise the more pungent smell that indicates it’s no longer fit for consumption. However, when cod fillets or peeled prawns are pre-packaged for the supermarket, consumers must rely on their appearance to assess their freshness. In practice, quality control procedures within the fishing industry are as much about preserving the physical features, such as colour and texture, as ensuring freedom from potential pathogens.
Post-mortem discolouration is common in many species, and although harmless, it’s unacceptable to consumers. Therefore, seafood quality control measures to address this issue are equally essential for consumer satisfaction and the long-term well-being of this crucial global industry. A catch is only profitable if it is saleable. A customer purchasing prawns will judge their freshness by their colour, typically pink or white. However, once caught, the flesh of crustaceans tends to develop black streaks due to enzyme action on the amino acid tyrosine. Fortunately, the phenomenon, which is known as melanosis, is preventable with the use of a suitable chemical additive.
Preserving colour is as essential as inhibiting discolouration. Consequently, seafood quality control also addresses the issue of post-mortem fading in strongly pigmented species like orange roughy and red roman by treatments with an appropriate additive. However, strict regulations governing the safety of food additives have seen some chemicals banned in many countries. Reputable manufacturers endeavour to avoid synthetics. Instead, they favour chemicals extracted from natural sources.
Read more about The Practice and Purpose of Seafood Quality Control here.
Tequisa is a global leader in this industry, having developed more than 100 products, including many adopted worldwide for seafood quality control purposes. Please feel free to download our product datasheets if you require more information and contact us today for a quote.
