Reduced Oxygen Packaging

Transcription

1 Reduced Oxygen Packaging Steve Otwell University of Florida Gainesville, FL

2 Reduced Oxygen Packaging Science & Education Science suggest Steve a Otwell hazard is possible Aquatic Food Products Program for fresh seafood, University of yet Florida occurrences are limited to ready-to-eat products

3 Science Suggest: Spores (C. botulinum) Occurrence is rare but more so than in other foods: est. 1 29%; 3 70 / kg ( 0 15/ lbs) fresh fish; primarily NW & NE species & freshwaters Controls: Species or region specific are not likely and if so, would require monitoring

4 Science Suggest: Toxin vs. Spoilage Significant evidence reports that lethal toxin production can proceed sensory spoilage when product exposed to moderate thermal abuse that is probable in commercial or consumer handling Post et al, JFS 1985 & Skinner & Larkin JFS 1985 Controls: Use of spoilage indicators based on sensory assessments not likely control either by commercial sector or consumers

5 Science Suggest: Effect of Cooking Botulinum toxin is heat sensitive (??) F (79 C) (Jay 1995?) F (85 C) F (80 C) (Arnold 1998?) Controls: Cooking not likely control since FDA does not recognize this option for other heat liable hazards and limits would overcook fresh seafood

6 Science Suggest: Temperature Significant evidence reports that spore germination and toxin production can be prevented (38 F/ 3.3 C) and reduced by low temperatures Controls: Low temperatures offer possible controls but these controls must incorporate accumulative exposure time and monitoring

7 Science Suggest: Packaging Limited studies suggest that initial oxygen levels in a package (0 100% O 2, balance CO 2 ) nor packaging film (OTR) alone can be used as controls to assure atmospheric conditions that retard C. botulinum growth at moderate temperature abuse conditions Dufresesne et al, 2000a and 2000b Controls: Question use of packaging conditions or packaging film as a viable control?

8 Current science conclusion: Temperature remains the most viable control in absence of other product conditions (i.e., water activity, inhibitors, ph)

9 Research & Education: Spores (C. botulinum) Could consider more determinations for occurrence in other species and regions (low) Toxin vs. Spoilage Could consider more trials with variable inoculation levels or natural levels of spores that may refute prior work with heat stimulated inoculations (Moderate to High depending on $$) Effect of Cooking (low priority)

10 Research & Education: Temperature Additional research and training is recommended to determine the most cost-effective controls, mindful of human error and consumer perception, plus the identity and monitoring for the most appropriate CCP s All time-temperature controls must be validated for the applications and range of possiblethermal situations, plus be affordable and available

11 Temperature Controls? Process Frozen Frozen Label (38 F) Label (38 F) Retail Frozen Thawed Public Frozen Thawed Immediate open & cook after thaw

12 Temperature Controls? Process Retail Public

13 25 Clostridium botulinum boundary Temperature Controls? 20 Lag time to toxin formation Tag Toxin 35.6 F 10.0 days >80 days 41.0 F 5.9 days 8.6 days 59.0 F 1.1 days 1.1 days Temp. C Dashed red line represent data (lag time to toxin formation) by Skinner & Larkin and solid blue line represent response time of M2-10 TTI formulation.

14 Research & Education: Packaging Additional research and training is recommended to better understand the use of packaging film (OTR) and related oxidation reduction potential (ORP) as possible controls to accompany temperature controls for ROP of fresh seafood. Work should address: onset of spoilage vs. toxin production change in film permeability inclusion of spoilage indicators aligned with film permeability

15 Reduced Oxygen Packaging

16 Science Suggest: Spores Toxin vs. Spoilage Effect of Cooking Temperature Controls Packaging Controls