Microbial hazards analysis in commercial processing of prepared and frozen hake fish fingers Análisis de los riesgos microbiológicos durante el proceso de elaboración de varitas de merluza

Abstract

Microbiological hazards were evaluated during processing of prepared and frozen hake fish fingers. Microbiological analyses of the pre-elaborated product, surfaces of equipment, and food handlers in the different steps of the process were performed. Both raw materials, hake and flour, were the main sources of microbial contamination. During the manufacturing process Clostridium perfringens and Staphylococcus aureus were detected. The frying step followed in the commercial processing, with a duration of 1-2 min at an oil temperature of 180 °C, appeared to be ineffective for removing the microbiological hazards. Increases in oil temperature and time of frying to 200°C and 3 min, respec tively, provoked an effective reduction of previous microbial hazards. This should be considered in the implementation of HACCP programs in the commercial processing of fish fingers.

Keywords

microbial hazards hake fish fingers frying

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