Journal
FISHERIES SCIENCE
Volume 80, Issue 5, Pages 1117-1128Publisher
SPRINGER JAPAN KK
DOI: 10.1007/s12562-014-0786-y
Keywords
Tra fish; Pangasius hypophthalmus; Food safety management systems; Microbial safety; Microbial quality
Categories
Funding
- Research Foundation Flanders (FWO)
- National Foundation for Science and Technology Development of Vietnam (NAFOSTED)
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Pangasius hypophthalmus (referred to as Pangasius or tra fish in Vietnam) has become highly appreciated by consumers in the European Union, USA, Japan, etc. and is of worldwide economic importance. Therefore, the microbial quality and safety of Pangasius fish processed for export was assessed by means of a microbial assessment scheme throughout the entire production process. A total of 144 samples were collected from various processing steps and analyzed. It was determined that the microbial safety and quality of the products was not guaranteed as the contamination levels remained high throughout processing. Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio cholerae were present on the hands of food operators, particularly those in the packaging area. Moreover, the presence of Listeria monocytogenes (1 positive out of 9 samples) and V. cholerae (4/9) on the final products was likely a result of inadequate hygiene practices in the processing environment. Also discussed in this paper are the results of a self-assessment questionnaire, which provide insight into the performance of the food safety management system currently implemented at the company. These data are of major importance in order to contribute valuable information to the local and international trade point of view in general and to the intended customers in particular.
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