Seafood Products: Safety and Quality

Dear Colleagues,

Ensuring the safety and quality of sustainable seafood products is essential as the world increases its consumption of these products. Food safety and many food quality issues of seafood (whether wild caught or aquacultured) can be generally attributed to chemical and biological issues associated with the harvest and/or grow-out environment (i.e., natural or anthropogenic issues), and chemical, biological and physical issues at the processing, storage, distribution and consumer level. Thus, a holistic education and training approach starting from the fisherman/aquaculturist, through the processor, distributor and consumer is needed to maintain the safety and quality of seafood products. We need to integrate Best Management Practice (BMPs) concepts starting from the commercial fishing vessel and/or the aquaculture farm through harvest and distribution. Training and education on quick cooling/quick freezing and stable low storage temperature methods will help ensure seafood safety and slow deleterious quality changes in texture, color, and flavor due to chemical/biochemical activity. This in concert with Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls (HARPC) at the aquaculture farm, and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP), Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs), and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) at the processing and distribution steps will help ensure the quality and safety of these products.  The final link is continued consumer education on how to properly handle, store and cook these seafood products. These holistic training and education programs for the seafood industry and for consumers will help ensure food safety and also contribute to higher quality seafood products.

Dr. Michael Jahncke
Guest Editor

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