Microbiological assessment along the fish production chain of the Norwegian pelagic fisheries sector – Results from a spot sampling programme

Abstract

Microbes play an important role in the degradation of fish products, thus better knowledge of the microbiological conditions throughout the fish production chain may help to optimise product quality and resource utilisation. This paper presents the results of a ten-year spot sampling programme (2005-2014) of the commercially most important pelagic fish species harvested in Norway. Fish-, surface-, and storage water samples were collected from fishing vessels and processing factories. Totally 1,181 samples were assessed with respect to microbiological quality, hygiene and food safety. We introduce a quality and safety assessment scheme for fresh pelagic fish recommending limits for heterotrophic plate counts (HPC), thermos tolerant coliforms, enterococci and Listeria monocytogenes. According to the scheme, in 25 of 41 samplings, sub-optimal conditions were found with respect to quality, whereas in 21 and 9 samplings, samples were not in compliance concerning hygiene and food safety, respectively. The present study has revealed that the quality of pelagic fish can be optimised by improving the hygiene conditions at some critical points at an early phase of the production chain. Thus, the proposed assessment scheme may provide a useful tool for the industry to optimise quality and maintain consumer safety of pelagic fishery products.

A comparative study of quality and safety of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) fillets during cold storage, as affected by different thawing methods of pre‐rigor frozen headed and gutted fish

“…Hence, assays for coliforms are often used as an indicator of the hygienic standards during food production . Based on a collection of current and former legislation and guidelines, Svanevik et al outlined and proposed an assessment scheme for fish, surfaces, and water samples for the pelagic fish industry, which could also be applied for the whitefish industry. These guidelines were set for quality, hygiene and safety by limits of heterotrophic plate counts, or total viable counts (TVC), faecal indicator organisms (thermo‐tolerant coliforms and enterococci) and L. monocytogenes respectively.…”

Evaluation of hygienic quality and labelling of fish distributed in public canteens of Northeast Italy

“…or during processing under bad hygienic conditions (Uddin et al ., 2013), as Listeria monocytogenes . Contamination of fish with Listeria monocytogenes in the early stages of the production chain could follow the product throughout the production process (Svanevik et al ., 2015). Once the pathogen is established in a processing environment, it can be a long-term source of contamination because of its ability to form biofilms on processing surfaces.…”

Spoilage of refrigerated (4 °C) Litopenaeus vannamei: cooperation between Shewanella species and contribution of cyclo‐(L‐Pro‐L‐Leu)‐dependent quorum sensing

“…Refrigerated or iced storage is usually employed in the market to extend prime quality life of shrimp. Shewanella bacteria are among the most commonly found microorganisms in low‐temperature‐stored seafood (Svanevik et al ., ; Zhang et al ., ), and their growth in seafood can lead to production of many off‐odours such as sulphur compounds, amines and indoles (Ólafsdóttir, ). S. putrefaciens and S. baltica have been previously described as specific spoilage organisms (SSO) of refrigerated Litopenaeus vannamei (Zhu et al ., ).…”