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This
Library Guide has been started to provide information
on how to set up and manage a small seafood smoking business.
It will evolve over 2010 and will gradually be populated
by relevant information as we work with a small group
that is trying to establish themselves as a seafood smoking
business.
Please
feel free to offer suggestions, ask questions or provide
the answers needed to make this Guide (and the business)
a success. The information we gather here will help other
businesses to become established. Are you on our smoking
email list? If not then send an email and we'll put you
on.
NB:
As Library Guides are quick-response, semi-formal products
they will occasionally contain errors which we will seek
to correct. The information contained in them is for Guidance
only and we cannot be held responsible for decisions made
using the Guides.
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Technical Issues
Q.
My EHO insists on a 5 day shelf life on cold smoked salmon. Why?
A.
Perhaps as smoked salmon is a Ready
To Eat (RTE)
Food it falls under a GMPG Guide on shelf life of RTE Foods with
regard to Listeria. If the shelf life of the product is 5 days or
less it doesn't fall under the Guide. Other 'exclusion criteria'
are that the smoked salmon (or other RTE product) has a water activity
less than 0.92 AND the product has less than 20cfu/g of Listeria
after production and less than 100cfu/g at the end of its shelf
life. If that is the case then you may well be able to safely give
a longer shelf life to your product. As the Food Business Operator
(FBO), it is your responsibility and if you consult the following
resources then you will be better placed to make the right decision
re shelf life.
NB:
You may decide that the end of the smoking process (and when the
shelf life clock starts ticking) isn't when the salmon leaves the
kiln, but when it is sliced after maturation.
RTE
Shelf Life Guidance ELearning Programme (see below) Factsheet
on Listeria (2007)
Q.
What are PAHs and why should I care?
A.
Polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons (PaH's) form a large group of chemicals,
some of which are known to be toxic. They are produced largely by
combustion processes and are present in small amounts in smoked
foods. Seafish
2003 PAH Report
Q.
My bacterial counts seem too high and varies for no apparent reason
- what might be the cause and solution?
A.
suggestions from food managers or EHOs etc welcome to academy@seafish.co.uk
Have
you a question to ask? Email academy@seafish.co.uk
Training
Section
Step
1: Our advice is to start with the older Seafish open learning
module on seafood smoking. This is more of an entry level training
pack and it is available as a series of pdf files here open
learning module.
Step
2: After absorbing the contents of the open learning module
you will be ready for the more advanced contents of our eLearning
programme available here.
Seafood
Smoking video - available as part of the eLearning programme.
You
will need to complete Step 2 before you can attend the course in
Step 3, should you wish to.
Step
3: Advanced Seafood Smoking practical course - We've bought
the kiln, we've drafted
the practical course and we're almost ready to start. All you
need to do is register your interest by emailing academy@seafish.co.uk.
- The
course will last five days - see this
link for the draft programme.
- It
will cost in the region of £800 and will be delivered at the Humber
Seafood Institute in Grimsby.
- As
part of the course you will be able to achieve two Level 3 units
in brining & salting, and smoking.
Hot
smoked fish and shellfish and cold smoked salmon are Ready To Eat
(RTE) foods. RTE foods require high care and may fall under good
manufacturing guidance published by the Chilled Food Association
in 2010. Consequently you will need a HACCP plan in place and will
need to demonstrate staff training, instruction and/or supervision.
Are you ready? If not then we can certainly help with food safety
training at levels 2 and 3. For more information try
here.
New
fish and shellfish smoking qualifications - information
here
Seafood
Training Academy buy a new AFOS Kiln to support training in smoking
- courses available from Jan 2011 at HSI. News
report here.
Food
Enforcement Section
What
issues should I consider when setting up a seafood smoking business
- outline
response from Seafish Adviser
Have
you a question to ask? Email academy@seafish.co.uk
Guidance
being prepared on labeling and packaging of smoked food products.
Business
Advice Section
Have you a question to ask?
Email academy@seafish.co.uk
Misc.
Information.
Have you a question to ask??
Email academy@seafish.co.uk
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