A Scoring System Approach for the Parasite Predictive Assessment of Fish Lots: A Proof of Concept with Anisakids

Abstract

A total of 982 individuals distributed in 11 lots belonging to 10 fish species from three Atlantic FAO fishing areas were sampled and examined to detect the presence of anisakid larvae in fish muscle. After hazard identification by genetic sequencing and exposure assessment by anatomic extent and demographic characterization of infection, all data were fitted for each fish species to a new proposed scoring schema of parasite prediction. In the absence of a criterion standard method for inspection and precise definition of the quantum satis for parasites in contaminated fish lots, the inspection rating scheme called SADE (Site of infection, Assurance of quality, Demography, Epidemiology) may help fish industries to precisely handle and to evaluate the likely outcome of infected fish lots after being diagnosed. For this purpose, a supporting flow diagram for decision was defined and suggested. This new performance assessment tool has the aim of staging fish lots, thus helping in planning manufacture, commercial, and research decisions during self-management programs. This novel scoring system provides an improved inspection format by implementing the occurrence stratification for parasites to guide Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) programs for the uniform exchange of information among fish industries, administration and researchers, thus facilitating standardization and communication. In the future, this scoring version could be validated (in terms of classification and wording) for similar overall predictive purposes in other muscular parasites infecting seafood products.

Anisakis infection in allis shad, Alosa alosa (Linnaeus, 1758), and twaite shad, Alosa fallax (Lacépède, 1803), from Western Iberian Peninsula Rivers: zoonotic and ecological implications

“…In relation to this, a recent parasitological study carried out on M. poutassou from ICES fishing area Div. VIIIc found a slightly higher proportion of A. pegreffii (six larvae of A. pegreffii and four larvae of A. simplex s.s.) (Llarena-Reino et al 2013b). However, to date, as far as we known, other paratenic fish species from coastal waters of NW Iberian Peninsula do not show a higher relative proportion of A. pegreffii.…”

Anisakis spp. Larvae in Deboned, in-Oil Fillets Made of Anchovies (Engraulis encrasicolus) and Sardines (Sardina pilchardus) Sold in EU Retailers

“…For this reason, the application of an efficient sampling method using different parameters could be applied. Concerning this, the use of prediction schemes, as suggested by the European Food Safety Authority [ 39 ], like the SADE method [ 40 ] for the evaluation of parasite larvae in the edible portion of fish lots, could be useful in terms of food safety and help to reduce economic losses due to consumer rejection. In [ 41 ], the SADE scheme was applied to 33 different frozen fish batches, finding that the method, despite the medium acceptable sensitivity, had very high specificity and accuracy, which could possibly allow FBO to assign different purposes to obviously contaminated fish lots.…”

Risk-based scoring and genetic identification for anisakids in frozen fish products from Atlantic FAO areas

“…853/04, FBO have to ensure that the product to be presented to the consumer is not obviously contaminated with parasites by visual inspection. Since there were different interpretations of concepts like "viable parasite" and "obviously contaminated" [16,[44][45][46] with a lack of standard regarding the maximum parasite limit allowed in a fish, the implementation of this risk-based surveillance according to the system developed by Llarena-Reino et al [22] matching SADE scheme with FPR standards, should make it easier to categorize the public health and economic risk of anisakids in the flesh of commercial fish.…”

“…Briefly sub lots are grouped according to four homogeneous categories named S, A, D, and E, that are afterwards split into numeric subcategories by the means of a flow diagram ( Fig. 2 modified according to Llarena-reino et al, [22]): each inspected fish lot was categorized according to the localization of parasites (Shypaxial or epaxial musculature flesh), the presence/absence of pathological or unaesthetic signs in the edible part (A), the density of infection (Dnumber of larvae/kg of fish) and finally the epidemiological relevance of the parasites (Ezoonotic or not). By adding the numeric values of each categories, the SADE system adopts a 10-point scale: as a result, a SADE code and a final score are obtained for each lot checked, in order to decide the final destination.…”

“…Because the presence of dead visible parasites could only represent a defect [19,20] altering the global products quality and in order to comply with the EU prescriptions, in addition to the official control and selfmonitoring procedures, the most practical procedure could be the use of a predicting scheme for evaluation of nematode larvae in the edible part of the fish batches as suggested by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) [21]. The use of the SADE scheme (acronym of Site of infection; Assurance of quality; Demographydensity of parasites; Epidemiology of parasites) proposed by Llarena-reino et al, [22], combined with the Fish Parasite Rating (FPR) method [23], aimed at precisely evaluating the likely outcome of infected fish lots, which could be useful tools. FPR standard is a certified Community Trade Mark -Register No 012266607 at the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM) and provides the staging of fish lots, helping in planning manufacture, commercial, and research decisions during self-management programs.…”