TÜV SÜD

Your challengesThe availability of frozen seafood has become increasingly important as consumer demand has steadily grown over the recent decades (Figure 1). One of the key challenges for the seafood industry is to improve conservation techniques so that these perishable foods remain at optimal quality for the consumer.

Frozen seafood products can develop surface drying and dehydration, with excessive drying causing ‘freezer burn’. Fish meat is also particularly susceptible to the effects of oxidation. To prevent a decrease in product quality seafood products are therefore glazed during frozen storage.

As there is no legally required method for identifying the weight of the additional glaze against the actual weight of the seafood product being sold, the industry relies on voluntary codes of practice based upon Codex standards. These standards are maintained by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which is organised by the Food

and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and the World Health Organisation.

Buyers must be aware that some less scrupulous suppliers may be mislabelling the weight of products, with such fraud costing both money and brand reputation to other businesses within the supply chain.

Non-food purposes Cured Prepared or preservedFrozen Live, fresh or chilled

Million tonnes (live weight)

FIGURE 1: UTILISATION OF WORLD FISHERIES PRODUCTION, 1962-2012

62 67 72 77 82 87 92 97 02 07 12

160

120

80

40

0

Source: Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations

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Seafood glazing determinationServices for product integrity assurance

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Glazing methodsIce glazing applies a protective layer of ice on the frozen seafood product, preventing air from penetrating the product’s surface.

Glazing can be achieved in three ways; by dipping, spraying or packaging only (Table 1).

Codex (www.codexalimentarius.org) requires that the water used for glazing is of potable quality, or is clean sea-water. Standards of potability should not be less than those contained in the latest edition of the World Health Organisation’s “International Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality”. Clean sea-water is defined as

that which meets the same microbiological standards as potable water and is free from objectionable substances. If the product has been glazed with sea-water, this must be stated on the product’s packaging.

How much glazing should be applied?Excessive glazing may significantly affect the economic value and end user satisfaction of frozen fish fillets. Over glazed seafood can result in an incorrect weight. As a surplus glaze is not shed until the seafood is defrosted or cooked, the end consumer loses much of the original weight they paid for in water loss.

TABLE 1: GLAZING METHODS

METHOD DESCRIPTION ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

Dipping Placing the frozen product in a tank of water for a period of time

Cost-effectiveLow capital costsRelatively simple

Inconsistent glaze coverage.UncontrolledSeafood can be left too long or ‘soaking’Many need repeat applications

Spraying Typically involves purpose designed equipment to spray water over a product

ControlledConsistent glaze coverage

Capital costs

Packaging only Involves packaging the seafood in plastic packaging (e.g. film or bags) or vacuum packing

Can be simpleSemi-controlled

Can be difficult to exclude oxygen from non vacuum packsMany only suitable for short periodsPackaging costs

Source: Seafish

The level of glaze that is typically applied should be from 4% to 10%, with the final amount of glaze applied depending on the following factors:

■■ The product’s temperature■■ The temperature of the water■■ The size, shape and surface area of the product■■ The glazing time.

Determining the glazing weightCodex’s international standards are widely accepted by industry to determine the glaze weight against actual seafood content, and can be found on the Codex website.

For both shrimps and seafood, Codex requires that the net weight of a sample is determined when it is frozen, without any packaging.

Below are the Codex standards that highlight the seafood glazing requirements.

CODEX STAN 92-1981 This standard covers quick frozen shrimps, and outlines the two different procedures for thawing both raw and cooked frozen product. It then advises on the type of sieve to use, according to the weight of the total package being tested. The sieve containing the fully drained product should be weighed, and the sieve’s mass subtracted in order to attain the net content of the package.

CODEX STAN 165-1989This standard covers quick frozen blocks of fish fillets and minced fish, and offers two approaches. The first advises that the frozen contents is placed under a gentle spray of cold water until all of the ice glaze is removed. Once the frozen product is dried of adhering water, the product can be weighed.

A second method is outlined in Annex B of the Standard, and is more complex. It details:

■■ Equipment required■■ The preparation of samples and the water bath ■■ Removal of glaze■■ Determination of glaze weight

AOAC OFFICIAL METHOD 963.18Besides the Codex standards, another method is identified by AOAC International (Association of Official Analytical Chemists), which is a not-for-profit, independent, voluntary consensus standard developing organisation. The AOAC methods are frequently used for food testing, with wide acceptance and recognition by the international communities and food industry.

In this method, the net weight of the product is measured after the glaze is gently removed by spraying with cold water, then drained and weighed.

TÜV SÜD AG Westendstraße 199, 80686 Munich, Germany +49 89 5791-0 food@tuv-sud.com www.tuv-sud.com/food

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Our servicesTÜV SÜD provides seafood inspection and labelling services that can help you to determine if the glazing weight meets your specification.

Our services include:

■■ Pre-shipment inspection■■ Hygiene inspections■■ Final random inspection■■ Loading supervision■■ During product check■■ Labelling

Your business benefits

■■ Manage risk – with frequent checks and tests provided by TÜV SÜD. Our service helps you avoid product recalls, food scandals and other brand-damaging incidents.

■■ Benefit from global support – through TÜV SÜD’s global network of modern laboratories, covering three continents and with technical experts spread across the world.

■■ Save time and money – with a one-stop service provider for all of your food safety needs, leading to greater cost efficiency in testing and auditing, as well as a shorter time to market for your products.

■■ Enjoy an expert partnership – by working with our team of highly skilled and experienced seafood specialists.

Why choose TÜV SÜD?TÜV SÜD is a trusted third-party certification body with a strong reputation for delivering holistic solutions in a timely manner. With decades of experience in food safety, TÜV SÜD has the expertise and global infrastructure to provide fast, cost effective solutions for all of your food testing, inspection, auditing and certification needs. We offer a complete, transparent and rapid food safety programme that covers more than 600 accredited tests. Our laboratories and experts are located in key markets, enabling us to support your operations globally.

Choose certainty. Add value.TÜV SÜD is a premium quality, safety and sustainability solutions provider that specialises in testing, inspection, auditing, certification, training and knowledge services. Represented in over 800 locations worldwide, we hold accreditations in Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Asia. By delivering objective solutions to our customers, we add tangible value to businesses, consumers and the environment.

Related services

TÜV SÜD provides the following related services: ■Seafood testing■Supply chain assurance■Food packaging testing