Principles of Food Sanitation

5. Check to determine if the fish are
   washed with a spray after evisceration
   and periodically throughout the process
   prior to packaging.


6. Determine the method and speed of
   freezing or frozen fish and fish products.


7. Check the use of rodenticides and
   insecticides to assured that no contami-
   nation occurs.


8. Observe handling from boats to fin-
   ished package and observe any signifi-
   cant objectionable conditions.

Manufacturing Inspection

The following manufacturing inspection
suggestions were adapted from those pro-
vided by Stanfield (2003):

1. The flow plan and manufacturing pro-
   cedure should be evaluated.


2. Processing equipment should be evalu-
   ated for construction, materials, and
   ease of cleaning.


3. Equipment cleaning and sanitizing pro-
   cedures should be observed and evalu-
   ated to determine their adequacy.


4. All butchering procedures should be
   observed and evaluated.


5. Water source should be determined and
   evaluated to confirm that only potable
   water from an improved source should
   be utilized.


6. If a long production delay occurs dur-
   ing processing fish at room tempera-
   ture, the product should be checked for
   decomposition.


7. All handling steps and intermediate
   steps in processing that may cause con-
   tamination should be examined.


8. Holding times and temperatures during
   processing should be determined.


9. If battering and/or breading of fish are
   involved, the process should be reviewed
   carefully, including temperature and pos-
   sible contamination sources.
   10. Compliance with good manufacturing
   practices (GMP) should be evaluated.

Personnel Allocations

In addition to the need for adequate clean-

ing methods and seafood facilities, a well-

qualified sanitarian is required. Although

the seafood plant manager is ultimately

responsible for an effective sanitation pro-

gram and the production of wholesome

products, sanitation employees who are

trained to maintain a clean plant must be

provided. Employees should be adequately

instructed in seafood product knowledge

and in proper sanitary techniques, so that

they are informed of the importance of the

effect of proper sanitation on product whole-

someness. Any employee with a contagious

illness should not work around processing

areas, even during cleanup (see Chapter 6 for

further discussion related to employee health

requirements).

The typical seafood processing plant

should have one or more employees respon-

sible for daily inspection of all equipment

and processing areas for hygienic conditions.

Any sanitation deficiencies should be cor-

rected before production operations are

initiated.

Cleaning Schedule

A cleaning schedule with sequential clean-

ing steps is essential. The schedule should be

adopted for each area of the plant and

should be followed. Continuous-use equip-

ment, such as conveyors, flumes, filleting

machines, batter and breading machines,

cookers, and tunnel freezers, should be

cleaned at the end of each production shift.

If there are no refrigerated areas, batter

machines and other equipment in contact

with milk or egg products should be cleaned

at 4-hour intervals by draining the batter,

flushing the batter reservoir with clean water,

and subsequently applying a sanitizer. At the

Seafood Plant Sanitation 331