Handling Seafood - Temperature Control
Seafood Spoilage
Bacteria are the major cause of seafood spoilage. Millions of bacteria are on the surface, on the gills, and in the gut of living fish and shellfish. After harvest, bacteria invade the flesh of fish and shellfish through the gills, along blood vessels, and directly through the skin and belly cavity lining. These bacteria grow and multiply in the flesh. They produce the "fishy" smelling and tasting compounds associated with old seafood. If food-poisoning bacteria are present, they can multiply and cause illness.
Enzymes also cause spoilage. Enzymes in living seafood help build tissue, contract and relax muscles, and digest food. After harvest, enzymes continue to work and start to digest or breakdown the flesh. This causes the flesh to soften and lowers the quality. Enzymes also produce more food for bacteria which increases the rate of spoilage.
Temperature Spoilage & Shelf Life
Temperature control is the most effective way to slow bacterial growth, delay seafood spoilage, and maintain seafood quality.
High temperatures increase rates of bacterial growth, enzyme activity, and chemical reactions. Low temperatures slow bacterial growth and chemical activity. For many seafoods, increasing the temperature from 32°F to 40°F doubles the rate of spoilage and cuts the shelf life in half.
Seafood shelf life relates directly to storage time and temperature. Your supplier cannot guarantee a shelf life for a seafood product without knowing the catch date and the temperature history.
Temperature Recommendations:
1. Inspect seafood shipments at the central warehouse before distribution to local stores.
2. Train store personnel to conduct seafood delivery inspections. They should have the ability and authority to accept or reject any shipment. Rejection may be for odor, appearance or temperature.
3. Have store personnel meet the delivery truck. They should record the temperature of the vehicle and each individual seafood container. Reject seafood products above 35°F and return them to the supplier.
4. Time-temperature monitors should accompany all seafood shipments. Monitors can be color changing temperature sensitive badges, recording thermometers, etc.
5. Require a statement indicating when the processor attached the time-temperature monitor to the product.
6. Reject products when temperature records are not available from suppliers.
7. Thaw frozen seafood under refrigeration. Thaw only enough seafood to sell in a 24 hour period.
8. Store fresh seafood at 29-32°F. A double pan system using ice will help maintain the temperature.
9. Do not display red meat and seafood in the same display case. These products have different storage temperature requirements.
10. Display unpackaged fresh seafood at 29-32°F. Use a mechanically refrigerated display case equipped with an accurate thermometer. Refrigeration coils should be at the top of the case, not at the bottom.
11. Routinely check display case and seafood temperatures. Check seafood with a sanitized accurate thermometer.
Seafood Spoilage
Bacteria are the major cause of seafood spoilage. Millions of bacteria are on the surface, on the gills, and in the gut of living fish and shellfish. After harvest, bacteria invade the flesh of fish and shellfish through the gills, along blood vessels, and directly through the skin and belly cavity lining. These bacteria grow and multiply in the flesh. They produce the "fishy" smelling and tasting compounds associated with old seafood. If food-poisoning bacteria are present, they can multiply and cause illness.
Enzymes also cause spoilage. Enzymes in living seafood help build tissue, contract and relax muscles, and digest food. After harvest, enzymes continue to work and start to digest or breakdown the flesh. This causes the flesh to soften and lowers the quality. Enzymes also produce more food for bacteria which increases the rate of spoilage.
Temperature Spoilage & Shelf Life
Temperature control is the most effective way to slow bacterial growth, delay seafood spoilage, and maintain seafood quality.
High temperatures increase rates of bacterial growth, enzyme activity, and chemical reactions. Low temperatures slow bacterial growth and chemical activity. For many seafoods, increasing the temperature from 32°F to 40°F doubles the rate of spoilage and cuts the shelf life in half.
Seafood shelf life relates directly to storage time and temperature. Your supplier cannot guarantee a shelf life for a seafood product without knowing the catch date and the temperature history.
Temperature Recommendations:
1. Inspect seafood shipments at the central warehouse before distribution to local stores.
2. Train store personnel to conduct seafood delivery inspections. They should have the ability and authority to accept or reject any shipment. Rejection may be for odor, appearance or temperature.
3. Have store personnel meet the delivery truck. They should record the temperature of the vehicle and each individual seafood container. Reject seafood products above 35°F and return them to the supplier.
4. Time-temperature monitors should accompany all seafood shipments. Monitors can be color changing temperature sensitive badges, recording thermometers, etc.
5. Require a statement indicating when the processor attached the time-temperature monitor to the product.
6. Reject products when temperature records are not available from suppliers.
7. Thaw frozen seafood under refrigeration. Thaw only enough seafood to sell in a 24 hour period.
8. Store fresh seafood at 29-32°F. A double pan system using ice will help maintain the temperature.
9. Do not display red meat and seafood in the same display case. These products have different storage temperature requirements.
10. Display unpackaged fresh seafood at 29-32°F. Use a mechanically refrigerated display case equipped with an accurate thermometer. Refrigeration coils should be at the top of the case, not at the bottom.
11. Routinely check display case and seafood temperatures. Check seafood with a sanitized accurate thermometer.
posted by meixi05 @ 10:23 AM
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