Open AccessThe use of the so‐called ‘tubs’ for transporting and storing fresh fishery products
Author(s) -
Koutsoumanis Konstantinos,
Allende Ana,
AlvarezOrdóñez Avelino,
Bolton Declan,
Chemaly Marianne,
Davies Robert,
De Cesare Alessandra,
Herman Lieve,
Hilbert Friederike,
Lindqvist Roland,
Nauta Maarten,
Peixe Luisa,
Ru Giuseppe,
Simmons Marion,
Skandamis Panagiotis,
Suffredini Elisabetta,
Arason Sigurjón,
Bekaert Karen,
García Míriam R,
Georgiadis Marios,
Messens Winy,
MosbachSchulz Olaf,
BoverCid Sara
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
efsa journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.076
H-Index - 97
ISSN - 1831-4732
DOI - 10.2903/j.efsa.2020.6091
Subject(s) - smoked fish , fishery , dried fish , environmental science , gadus , shelf life , food science , chemistry , biology , fish <actinopterygii> , toxicology
On‐land transport/storage of fresh fishery products ( FFP ) for up to 3 days in ‘tubs’ of three‐layered poly‐ethylene filled with freshwater and ice was compared to the currently authorised practice (fish boxes of high‐density poly‐ethylene filled with ice). The impact on the survival and growth of biological hazards in fish and the histamine production in fish species associated with a high amount of histidine was assessed. In different modelling scenarios, the FFP are stored on‐board in freshwater or seawater/ice (in tubs) and once on‐land they are ‘handled’ (i.e. sorted or gutted and/or filleted) and transferred to either tubs or boxes. The temperature of the FFP was assumed to be the most influential factor affecting relevant hazards. Under reasonably foreseeable ‘abusive’ scenarios and using a conservative modelling approach, the growth of the relevant hazards (i.e. Listeria monocytogenes , Aeromonas spp. and non‐proteolytic Clostridium botulinum ), is expected to be < 0.2 log 10 units higher in tubs than in boxes after 3 days when the initial temperature of the fish is 0°C (‘keeping’ process). Starting at 7°C (‘cooling‐keeping’ process), the expected difference in the growth potential is higher (< 1 log 10 for A. hydrophila and < 0.5 log 10 for the other two hazards) due to the poorer cooling capacity of water and ice (tub) compared with ice (box). The survival of relevant hazards is not or is negligibly impacted. Histamine formation due to growth of Morganella psychrotolerans under the ‘keeping’ or ‘cooling‐keeping’ process can be up to 0.4 ppm and 1.5 ppm higher, respectively, in tubs as compared to boxes after 3 days, without reaching the legal limit of 100 ppm. The water uptake associated with the storage of the FFP in tubs (which may be up to 6%) does not make a relevant contribution to the differences in microbial growth potential compared to boxes.