Table Of Content≠ EDICT ±
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EAS 62-1 (2000) (English): Fish
handling, processing and distribution —
Code of practice, Part 1: Fresh fish
handling and processing
EAS 62-1:2000
ICS 67.120
EAST AFRICAN STANDARD
Fish handling, processing and distribution — Code of practice
Part 1:
Fresh fish handling and processing
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY
© EAC 2000 First Edition 2000
EAS 62-1:2000
Table of contents
1 Scope.............................................................................................................................................1
2 Definitions.......................................................................................................................................1
3 Water supplies................................................................................................................................2
4 Cleaning and sanitizing procedures...............................................................................................2
Section 1: Product...................................................................................................................................3
1 Scope.........................................................................................................................................3
2 General requirements................................................................................................................3
3 Fresh fish...................................................................................................................................3
4 Frozen fish.................................................................................................................................4
5 Smoked fish...............................................................................................................................4
6 Packaging of fish........................................................................................................................5
7 Marking of frozen fish.................................................................................................................5
Section 2: Sanitation...............................................................................................................................7
1 Scope.........................................................................................................................................7
2 Requirements on board the fishing vessel.................................................................................7
3 Requirements at point of unloading from fishing vessel............................................................8
4 Requirements during transportation...........................................................................................8
5 Requirements for processing establishments............................................................................9
6 Equipment in processing establishments...................................................................................9
7 Operation in processing establishments....................................................................................9
Section 3: Requirements for retailers....................................................................................................10
1 Scope.......................................................................................................................................10
2 Fish preparation area...............................................................................................................10
3 Shop serving area....................................................................................................................10
4 Dwelling and utensils...............................................................................................................10
6 Cleaning...................................................................................................................................10
Section 4: Requirements for all staff engaged in handling fish.............................................................11
1 Scope.......................................................................................................................................11
2 Personal hygiene and conduct.................................................................................................11
Annex A (informative) Bacteriological water quality..............................................................................12
Annex B Forms of preparation of fish...................................................................................................13
Annex C (informative) Common species of fish....................................................................................15
Annex D Application of HACCP in the fish industry..............................................................................17
D.1 Introduction..........................................................................................................................17
D.2 HACCP principles................................................................................................................17
D.3 Defect action point analysis.................................................................................................19
D.4 Application...........................................................................................................................19
ii © EAC 2000 — All rights reserved
EAS 62-1:2000
Foreword
Development of the East African Standards has been necessitated by the need for harmonizing
requirements governing quality of products and services in East Africa. It is envisaged that through
harmonized standardization, trade barriers which are encountered when goods and services are
exchanged within the Community will be removed.
In order to achieve this objective, the Partner States in the Community through their National Bureaux
of Standards, have established an East African Standards Committee.
The Committee is composed of representatives of the National Standards Bodies in Partner States,
together with the representatives from the private sectors and consumer organizations. Draft East
African Standards are circulated to stakeholders through the National Standards Bodies in the Partner
States. The comments received are discussed and incorporated before finalization of standards, in
accordance with the procedures of the Community.
East African Standards are subject to review, to keep pace with technological advances. Users of the
East African Standards are therefore expected to ensure that they always have the latest versions of
the standards they are implementing.
© East African Community 2000 — All rights reserved*
East African Community
P O Box 1096
Arusha
Tanzania
Tel: 255 27 2504253/8
Fax: 255-27-2504481/2504255
E-Mail: eac@eachq.org
Web: www.each.org
*
© 2000 EAC — All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for EAC Partner States’ NSBs.
© EAC 2000 — All rights reserved iii
EAST AFRICAN STANDARD EAS 62-1:2000
Fish handling, processing and distribution — Code of practice
Part 1:
Fresh fish handling and processing
1 Scope
This East African Code of practice establishes the hygienic and quality requirements for the handling,
processing and distribution of finfish intended for human consumption.
It covers with the exception of tuna:
a) Fresh fish
b) Frozen fish
c) Smoked fish
In addition it includes, in Annex C, a list of common and scientific names of fish species, including
some molluscs, echinoderms and crustaceans.
This code is divided into 4 Sections as follows:
Section 1 — Product.
Section 2 — Sanitation.
Section 3 — Requirements for retailers.
Section 4 — Requirements for all staff engaged in handling fish.
2 Definitions
2.1 In this Code unless the content requires.
2.1.1
fin fish
freshwater and marine vertebrate fish. In this Code fish shall have the same meaning.
2.1.2
fresh fish
fish that has never been frozen, smoked or otherwise preserved, except by chilling, and that complies
with the quality requirements of this Code. Fish in rigor shall be deemed to be fresh fish.
2.1.3
frozen fish
fresh fish in accordance with Clause 4 of Section 1
2.1.4
thawed fish
fish which has been frozen but is now unfrozen
© EAC 2000 — All rights reserved 1
EAS 62-1:2000
2.1.5
smoked fish
the product prepared from any wholesome fish in fresh, frozen or salted state which has been
subjected to a smoking process in an appropriate equipment
2.1.6
detergent
a cleaning agent whose primary function is to assist in the removal of dirt and organic matter
2.1.7
sanitizer
a compound whose primary function is to reduce or, inhibit the growth of microorganisms
3 Water supplies
For the washing of fish there shall be an adequate supply of potable water under satisfactory
pressure.
4 Cleaning and sanitizing procedures
4.1 In the cleaning and sanitizing of plant and equipment, the following 5 distinct operations shall
be employed:
a) Dry-clean.
b) Rinse with cold water to remove gross dirt and contamination.
c) Rinse with warm water containing a detergent, preferably heated from 40 °C to 50 °C. Rinse off
with warm water.
d) Sanitize by steaming, immersion in hot water, or rinsing with a sanitizer preferably heated from
40 °C to 50 °C.
e) Rinse off with warm water before processing recommences.
4.2 Standard cleaning procedures shall be developed for use in the various stages of the
catching and processing line. Where practicable the effectiveness of routine cleaning shall be
checked by periodic bacteriological sampling.
Other points to be noted are as follows:
a) Cold voter, preferably under pressure, shall be used for the preliminary rinse
b) Cleaning is the most important stage in the whole operation. All possible aids including warm
water 40 °C to 50 °C, soap or synthetic detergents, scrabbling or high-pressure sprays shall be
used. The choice of detergent depends on the type of dirt, the nature of the surface, and the
degree of hardness of the water being used. Such detergent shall be of an approved non-tainting
type. After scrubbing, hot water shall be used to rinse off remaining dirt and excess detergent.
This is necessary as detergent neutralizes any sanitizers.
c) Sanitizing of well cleaned surfaces provides a safeguard against the build-up and spread of
pathogenic and spilige micro-organisms. As sanitizers lose most of their effectiveness when used
on dirty surface; the sanitizing procedure must not be employed as a substitute for thorough
cleaning. Steam or hot water over 82 °C can be used for sanitizing only if the temperature at the
surface of the object being treated is maintained above 82 °C for at least 2 minutes and
preferably longer. Where conditions cannot be met consistently in practice the use of sanitizer
rinses is recommended. Sanitjzers shall be non-corrosive, non-perfume, non-tainting and shall be
used in the contact time available.
2 © EAC 2000 — All rights reserved
EAS 62-1:2000
Section 1: Product
1 Scope
This Section 1 specifies the quality requirements, packaging and marking for the fresh, chilled, frozen
and smoked fish.
2 General requirements
2.1 Chilling — Fish shall be chilled immediately after catching (or after bleeding and gutting if
these processes are done immediately after catching) so as to reduce the temperature of the fish to
below 20C as quickly as possible, and shall be maintained between 2 °C and –1 °C until processing
begins. The chilling media shall be ice, refrigerated seawater or chilled sea voter. The ratio of fish to
ice shall be 1:2.
2.2 Fish nomenclature
Where fish is described other than by scientific name, the common names listed in Annex C shall be
used where for any reason (for example, sales in a foreign country) fish is described by a non-
scientific other than the conmen name, the common name shall also be shown to permit positive
identification of the species.
2.3 Recognized forms of preparation
The definitions of recognized forms of preparation are, listed in Annex B. Fish described by the terms
listed shall conform to the appropriate definition.
2.4 Glazing
Where fish is glazed, the liquid used for glazing shall not exceed 10 °C and shall be changed
sufficiently often to prevent a build-up of micro-organisms.
2.5 General quality
Fish shall be washed free of dirt, sand, grit or other contamination at the earliest practical point after
catching. Fish which shows or obvious disease or traumatic injury shall be removed from the catch.
2.6 Bacteriological quality
Fish shall not contain micro-organisms, which represent a health hazard to consumers, and shall not
show overt signs of spoilage. The limits for pathogens or pathogenic indicators for all the states of fish
in this Code shall be as shown in Table 3.
2.7 Processed fish
After processing, each fish, fillet or steak shall be intact and free of torn or ragged edges. Scraps shall
not be included. Processed fish shall be kept separately from unprocessed fish to avoid any cross
contamination.
2.8 Temperatures and maximov holding times
The temperatures maximum holding times shall be as shown in Table 1.
3 Fresh fish
Fresh fish handled and treated in accordance with Clauses 2.1, 2 and 3 of Section 2 shall exhibit
where applicable, the following characteristics:
a) A bright appearance.
© EAC 2000 — All rights reserved 3
EAS 62-1:2000
b) A fresh characteristic smell.
c) Prominent, bright, clear and moist eyes and convex pupil.
d) If slime is present and natural to the species, it shall be transparent or creamy white.
e) Bright, red, gills.
f) Bright abdominal blood.
g) Firm and elastic flesh adhering to the bones.
h) Scales, which adhere strongly to the skin where this is normal.
4 Frozen fish
4.1 Treatment
Before freezing, fish shall be washed thoroughly and drained. The fish shall then be packed in
suitable containers, and it shall pass through the critical zone from 0 °C to –5 °C in a period not
exceeding 6 hours. The process shall not be regarded as complete unless and until the product
temperature has reached –18 °C at the thermal centre.
4.2 Characteristics of frozen product
The frozen product shall be free from noticeable desiccation, discolouration or blemish.
4.3 Characteristics of thawed product
After the fish has thawed, the odour shall be fresh and characteristic. The fish shall be free from
noticeable dessication, discolouration or blemish and it shall not yield excessive drip.
5 Smoked fish
5.1 Product designation
The end product of this process shall be designated under the following names, followed by the name
of the fish:
a) Hot smoked.
b) Dry smoked or hard smoked.
c) Cold smoked.
5.2 Essential composition and quality factors
5.2.1 Raw material
(a) Smoked fish shall be prepared from dressed fish fit for human consumption.
(b) The fish after dressing shall be subjected immediately to the smoking process.
5.2.2 Treatment
5.2.2.1 The fish shall be subjected in accordance with sound commercial practice, to the action of
smoke from wood.
5.2.2.2 The wood shall be free from gum, paint, timber preservative or other added substances.
4 © EAC 2000 — All rights reserved
