Specific requirement for processing of fish and fish products specified below shall be followed:
Internal Structure & fittings:
All interior structures (including floors, walls, ceilings, doors, windows, partitions, overhead fixtures, working surface that come into direct contact with fish and fish products, such as stairs, elevators, etc.) shall be constructed of materials that are corrosion-resistant, light-coloured, durable, impervious to minimize the build-up of fish slime, blood, scales and guts and to reduce the risk of physical contamination, with no toxic effect in intended use, shall be unable to provide pest harbourage,; and be easy for cleaning and disinfection.
Equipment & containers:
Conveying equipment for live and dressed products shall be constructed of suitable corrosion- resistant material that doesn’t transmit toxic substances and shouldn’t cause mechanical injuries.
Cooling chambers for storage of fish food products shall be equipped with thermometers and (or) automatic air temperature controllers in the chamber as well as with temperature recording devices.
Procurement of raw materials and ingredients:
Both the raw material and ingredients, where feasible shall be procured from registered or approved supplier. Raw material shall be washed or cleaned as necessary to remove soil or other contaminants using potable water. It is recommended that temperature of fish and fish products at the time of delivery shall be 4.0°C or below. In case of frozen products, receiving temperature shall be -18°C or below.
Shrimps shall be procured from farmers registered under authorized agencies and use only approved aquaculture inputs.
Fish should smell fresh and mild, not fishy, sour, or ammonia-like. A fish’s eyes shall be clear and shiny.
Whole fish should have firm flesh and red gills with no odour. Fresh fillets should have firm flesh and red blood lines, or red flesh if fresh tuna. The flesh should spring back when pressed.
Fish fillets should display no discoloration, darkening, or drying around the edges.
Shrimp, scallop, and lobster flesh should be clear with a pearl-like colour and little or no odour.
Food and packaging materials storage including warehousing:
It is recommended that temperature of fish and fish products at the time of storage shall be 4.0°C or below for chilled and -18°C or below for frozen. Too long storage time and sever fluctuation should be avoided. Where the product is susceptible to temperature abuse and / or weather damage, covered bays should be provided for loading and unloading.
Processing
Fin fish and shellfish should be handled and conveyed with care during processing operations to avoid physical damage such as puncture and mutilation. Food contact surfaces shall be made of food grade material. Personnel shall put on clean protective clothing and wash their hands before entering processing area.
Ice used in cooling and holding raw material should not be mixed with ice used to store processed and packed products. Wherever steam is used directly on food during processing, the steam shall be generated from clean and microbiologically safe water.
Packaging
Avoid packages with signs of frost or ice crystals, which may mean the fish has been stored a long time or thawed and refrozen.
Avoid packages where the “frozen” fish flesh is not hard. The fish should not be bendable.
Packaging used for storing ice cooled fish food products should ensure the drainage of the melt water.
The packaging of fish food products should ensure safety of fish food products and invariability of the organoleptic properties before the expiration date of such products.
Transportation
Transportation facility for fish and fish products shall have chilling equipment to maintain temperature and -18 oC or below for freezing during transportation to a temperature at 4 °C or below for chilled products or at–18 °C or below for frozen products. The temperatures shall be monitored.
Contamination, exposure to extreme temperatures and the drying effects of the sun or wind shall be avoided.
Free flow of chilled air around the load when fitted with mechanical refrigeration means.
Cargo compartments of transport vehicles and containers should be subjected to regular washing and disinfection with a frequency necessary to prevent cargo compartments of transport vehicles and containers from becoming sources of contamination (dirtying) of products.
Quality control
Fresh fish shall only contain permitted ingredients and comply with the regulation.
Biological water resources catchments and food products of aquaculture of animal origin should be examined for parasites (parasitic affections).
The fish and fish products shall not contain any preservative including formaldehyde which is not permitted in these regulations.
