Quality

Developing a Business Around

Quality

What Causes Poor Quality?

Improving Quality Assurance

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Direct Market Quality

Your seafood must compete in a complex and demanding market.

Top quality is the hallmark of successful direct market efforts.

Quality assurance starts with simple, straightforward practices on board.

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So…What is Quality?First, there is the basic quality of fish while they are still in the water. Each species and run has its own characteristics.

(Technical people refer to this as “intrinsic” quality)

Then, there is the quality after the fish is caught, processed, and transported to market.

(This is referred to as “extrinsic” quality)

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& Quality Assurance?

“Quality assurance” is minimizing all the bad things that can happen to fish from the time they hit your gear until they reach the consumer.

Once quality is lost, you can’t get it back.

How you – the fisherman - care for the fish is vital to the quality the consumer eventually receives.

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Farmed salmon-Raised the quality bar

Farmed salmon is not as good as the best wild Alaska salmon, but

It is carefully handled & processed…it is consistent…and it is always available.

Quality assurance procedures for farmed salmon are excellent, so it represents a very good value for retailers.

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& greatly expanded the market

The world salmon market is now about 2.2 million tons per year - that’s close to 5 billion pounds, and 2/3 of that is farmed salmon!

2004 World Salmon Production

65%16%

19%

Farmed

Alaska

Other Wild

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Becoming a Niche

Alaska Premium Speciesas Percents of World Market

5%

94%

<1% 1%

Alaska King

Alaska Sockeye

Alaska Coho

All Other

Alaska’s best salmon are only a small fraction of the world market… Alaska’s top species compete directly with farmed

salmon – and are barely 6% of the world market

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Quality Assurance starts with you!

What are the common quality problems with salmon & other fish?

What can you do to eliminate or control those problems?

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Quality Problems

BruisingGapingMushy FleshScale LossEnzymatic DeteriorationBacterial Spoilage

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Bruising

Bruising occurs when fish are handled roughly…throwing fish…stepping on them …banging them into hard objects

Bruises like this are caused by lifting fish

by the tail

►

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Gaping

It may be caused by lifting fish by the tail – physically tearing the muscle tissue.

But, most gaping is due to “rigor mortis”.

Gaping - the separation of the muscle layers in the fish.

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Rigor mortis

Fish that go through rigor mortis at higher temperatures stiffen up so violently that the flesh actually tears…that’s gaping.

Getting your fish cold as rapidly as possible is the best defense against gaping…and many other quality problems.

- when fish stiffen up after they die.

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Mushy Texture

Bruised, crushed or gaped fish deteriorates more rapidly, resulting in mushy texture , early onset of rancidity, and reduced shelf life…

That means less value for the consumer, the retailer, the processor and you. Take the steps to avoid gaping and bruising, and you won’t have problems with mushy fish.

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Scale Loss

Some scale loss is inevitable, but too much lessens the value of your fish.

Gentle handling is the key. Keeping fish moist and getting them chilled quickly reduces scale loss.

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Enzymes & Bacteria

In addition to physical damage…

All seafood is subject to spoilage caused by enzymes and bacteria

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Enzymatic Deterioration

Enzymes are chemicals that are vital to the fish when it is alive, but…

after fish die enzymes begin to breakdown the proteins of its flesh.

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Enzymatic Deterioration

Enzyme activity is promoted by crushing and higher temperatures, so chilling and careful handling are key to controlling it.

“Belly burn” …caused by digestive enzymes…is a common example.

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Bacterial Spoilage

The flesh of live fish is sterile, but the exterior is not. Bacteria enter any exposed flesh after a fish dies.

You can help minimize bacterial spoilage by keeping your decks, fish hold, slush bags and totes clean and sanitary…

and by chilling your fish as soon as possible

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Bacterial Growth

These illustrations show how much more rapidly bacteria grow at higher temperatures

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Bacterial Growth

Temperature Doubling Time

71oF 1 hour 50oF 3 hours 41oF 6 hours 37oF 10 hours 32oF 20 hours

The higher the temperature the faster bacteria grow. At 50°F bacteria grow 7 times faster than at 32°F.

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Chilling & Shelf Life

SpeciesMaximum Shelf Life

Shelf Life Lost After 8 hrs @ 50° F

Shelf Life In Store After

Processing & Shipping

Percent of Store Shelf Life Lost to

Not Chilling Immediately

King Salmon

10 days 1.4 days 4.6 – 5.6 days 20% - 23%

Chum Salmon

13 days 1.4 days 7.6 – 8.6 days 14% - 16%

Shelf Life = Value to retailers. Not chilling immediately results in significant value loss…which, in turn, affects your price.

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Bleeding

Bleeding salmon and most other fish is easy, and really helps quality.

As you pick each fish, reach in and break the gill arches on one side. It only takes a moment, and won’t slow you down.

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Chilling

Quick chilling with plenty of ice is the No. 1 quality assurance step you can take to

Retard spoilage Extend shelf life

Preserve value

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Boxing & Unloading

You’ve taken good care of your fish. Don’t lose quality while getting ready to ship…handle fish gentlydon’t lift by the tail & don’t throw

the fishbe sure fish are clean before packingpack fish carefullykeep them cold while awaiting

shipment

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Clean Up & Sanitizing

A clean, sanitary operation is especially vital for direct marketers

Keep processing areas clean “as you go” with plenty of rinse water, and regular periodic clean-ups

Perform full clean-up and sanitizing at the end of each day, and the end of each processing period or fishing trip

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Washing Down

Detergent should be DEC approved, unscented type suitable for food applications.

Use plenty of water, and scrub thoroughly.

Pressure washers are a good idea

Never use phenol detergents like Lysol or Pinesol

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Sanitizing

A sanitizing solution of 1 or 2 capfuls of Clorox in 5 gallons of clean water works greater.

Apply plenty of the sanitizer to all working surfaces – processing area, fish hold, totes, etc.

No need to rinse – just leave on and let it work.

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The End Result

Care On Board…Care On Board…

and Care at the Plant…

Top Quality Salmon

For the Consumer

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Quality: Improving Quality/Technical Assistance

• Marine Advisory Program: courses and manuals– Technical Manuals

• Care for Salmon – Doyle• Care of Halibut – Kramer/Paust• Factors Affecting Quality of Rock Sole Fillets• Halibut Dressing (video)• Quality Is In Your Hands: Salmon Skiff Fishermen

(video)• Common Mistakes in HACCP• Seafood Safety: What Consumers Need to Know • Seafood Shelf Life as a Function of Temperature• Personnel and Plant Cleanliness for Seafood

Processors • Tips for Direct Marketers: The Onboard DEC

Inspection

– Courses/workshops• Onboard Quality Handling• Onboard SQ Handling• Fisherman's Quality Training Workshop • Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC)• Salmon Quality Handling• Slush Bag Workshops on Yukon• HACCP• Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning Information,

Monitoring and Prevention• Sanitation and HACCP• Vibrio Paraemolyticus Research & Studies• Water Quality Recertification Training• Water Quality Training I• Water Quality Training II• Better Control Process School

Contact:Don KramerProfessor, Seafood Quality SpecialistMarine Advisory Program1007 W 3rd Avenue #100 Anchorage, AK 99501 Phone: 907.274.9695Fax: 907.274.5242E-mail: afdek@uaa.alaska.edu

Chuck Crapo Seafood Technology SpecialistMarine Advisory Program118 Trident Way Kodiak, AK 99615 Phone: 907.486.1515Fax: 907.486.1540E-mail: dfcac@uaa.alaska.edu

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