Hygiene and Processing of Fishery Products

Regulation 853/2004

EU regulation for hygiene of fishery products.

Fishery products

Includes all edible aquatic animals except specified live ones.

Processed fishery products

Fish products altered by chemical or physical processes.

Fresh fishery products

Unprocessed fish, including vacuum-packed items.

Prepared fishery products

Fish that has undergone anatomical alterations.

Aquaculture

Fish farming, producing 65% of eel in Europe.

Per capita fish consumption

EU average reached 24.33 kg in 2016.

Top fish species in EU

Includes tuna, cod, salmon, pollock, and shrimp.

Wild fish market share

Wild fish accounts for 76% of EU seafood consumption.

EU fish production value

Reached EUR 7.38 billion, highest in 10 years.

Nutritive value of fish

Comparable to animal meat, lower energy in eel.

Amino-acid proteins

Fish proteins similar to hen's egg composition.

Fish fats

Freshwater fish fats have lower biological value.

Vitamins in fish

Rich source of essential vitamins and trace metals.

BOD

Biological oxygen demand, measures organic pollution.

Fish processing

Involves removing inedible parts and preserving edible ones.

Main fish stocks

Includes cod, tuna, herring, and salmon.

Primary fish processing

Includes washing, deheading, evisceration, and filleting.

Evisceration

Removal of inedible parts from fish.

Grading

Sorting fish by species, size, and quality.

Mechanical graders

Automated tools for precise fish sorting.

Aquatic waste management

Reducing water pollution in fish processing.

Filleting

Cutting fish into portions for consumption.

Chilling

Preservation method for fresh fish products.

Trace metals in fish

Includes selenium, molybdenum, and cobalt.

Environmental contamination

Increased pollution from agricultural chemicals.

Consumption trends

Fish consumption increased across main species.

Portugal fish consumption

Highest in EU at 57 kg per person.

Fish processing facilities

Located near fishing harbors or aquaculture sites.

Sorting capacity

1-15 tons per hour, into three size groups.

Slime

Protection mechanism on dying fish's skin.

Slime composition

2-3% of body weight in some freshwater species.

Rigor mortis

Slime excretion ceases before this occurs.

Microorganism growth

Slime creates an ideal environment for this.

Slime removal method

Thorough washing needed to eliminate slime.

Fish species care

Eel, trout, carp need special slime removal.

Visible slime spots

Small slime amounts cause yellowish-brown spots.

Drum-washing

Horizontal rotation may not remove slime effectively.

Baking soda solution

Soak fish in 2% solution for slime removal.

Scaling

Labor-intensive process for many freshwater species.

Manual scaling time

Almost 50% of total processing time required.

Scaling method

Blanch fish for 3-6 seconds before scaling.

Scaling tools

Moved from tail fin towards the head.

Difficult fish to scale

Perch, bream, pike-perch, and carp are challenging.

Mechanized scalers

Commonly used in small processing plants.

Semi-automated scaler

Manually passed over rotating drums for scaling.

Scaling speed

One worker can scale 10-20 fishes per minute.

Protective gloves

Required during the scaling procedure.

Cylindrical rotating scaler

Processing time: 2 to 7 minutes per run.

Fish weight limit

Total weight rarely exceeds 30-60 kg per run.

Tumbling scaler

Tilts during cycle for efficient scaling.

Pressurized water scaling

Removes scales using water stream in drum.

Scaler drum materials

Made of stainless mesh or perforated sheets.

Washing necessity

Removes contaminants, prepares fish for processing.

Washing timing

Should occur immediately after unloading fish.

Microbial growth prevention

Washing stops contamination from harvest areas.

Washing

Process to clean fish and remove bacteria.

Kinetic Energy

Energy of moving water stream affecting washing.

Fish:Water Ratio

Ideal ratio is 1:1 for cleanliness.

Potable Water

Clean water used in fish processing.

Vertical Drum Washer

Compact washer commonly used for fish.

Horizontal Tumbler Washer

Most common washer with rotating drum.

Drum Length

Typically 2-4 meters long with 10 mm holes.

Internal Bars

Facilitate fish movement within the washer.

Continuous Washing

Ongoing process using pressurized water.

Waste Basins

Collect dirty water after washing fish.

Combination Washer-Conveyor

Separates fish from ice during washing.

Deheading

Removal of fish head, constituting 10-20% weight.

Round Cut

Cut around operculum for minimal meat loss.

Contoured Cut

Perpendicular cut for fillet production.

Deheading Machines

Automated devices for removing fish heads.

Cutting Elements

Tools like knives and saws used in deheading.

Deheading Speed

Typically 20-40 fish per minute.

Gutting

Removal of internal organs to improve quality.

Longitudinal Cut

Cut along belly to remove organs.

Gutting Work Station

Specialized area for efficient gutting process.

Vacuum Suction

Removes guts and kidney tissue during gutting.

American Cut

Method for deheading and gutting certain fish.

Filleting Efficiency

Depends on species, size, and worker skill.

Mechanized Devices

Automated tools to assist in fish processing.

Protective Gloves

Worn during gutting to ensure hygiene.

Rotational Brush

Used for cleaning fish body cavity.

Fish Processing Plants

Facilities where fish are cleaned and prepared.

Freshwater Fish Filleting

Less common than marine fish filleting.

Filleting Machines

Costly devices for processing marine fish.

Block Fillet

Fillet retaining some bones for processing.

Deboning

Removing bones from fish fillets manually.

Filleting Speed

30-40 fishes per minute efficiency.

Meat-Bone Separator

Recovers meat left on fish's backbone.

Minced Meat Production

Derived from carcasses and less valuable fish.

Individual Quick Freezing (IQF)

Freezing fillets to -24°C before glazing.

Slicing

Cutting fish into steaks perpendicular to backbone.

Steak Thickness

Fish pieces average 2.5 to 4.5 cm thick.

Automated Cutter

Processes 20-40 fishes per minute.

Skinning

Removing skin from fish fillets.

Oscillating Knife

Used in automated skinning tools.

Compression Springs

Assist in skinning fish fillets automatically.

Fillet Skinning Efficiency

Varies by fish species and machine type.

Meat-Bone Separation Devices

Automated tools for extracting meat from bones.

Separator Cylinder

Rotates to separate meat under pressure.