Steve Otwell University of Florida Aquatic Food Products Program

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Histamine Related Concerns for Potential
Scombrotoxic Fish Processed with Carbon Monoxide
or Filtered Smokes
Steve OtwellUniversity of FloridaAquatic Food
Products Program
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Which do you find more appealing ?
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USE OF CARBON MONOXIDE
Advantages Disadvantages

• ? Deception, enhance appearance of inferior
  product
• Mask potential food safety problems
  (histamines)
• Potential toxicity with consumption

• ? Allows freezing for distant market access
• Provides safety margin over current
  practices
• Strong market demand (USA)

Commercial Opinion is Divided
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Commercial Development - History
traditional Hot Smoking...Cold Smoking
1960s gas blends with MAP ROP
1970s CO patents for meat, poultry and fish
1980s Patents for Filtered Smoke
1999 Patent Petition for Tasteless Smoke
2001 Patent for 0.4 CO with Red Meats (Canada)
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William R Kowalski October 26, 1999
Tasteless Smoke
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Commercial Development - Trends
Applications ( Tasteless, Clear, Artificial-TS
) ? Passive gas in a bag ? Active pressure
differentials ? Euthanasia (cultured fish)
Products ? Tuna other fish
species ? Tilapia other cultured
species
Locations ? IndoPacific South Central
America
and recently USA
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Sushi Gradesvs. Grill Grades
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HACCP Sanitation
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Direct Gas Applications
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Gas Controls ?
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Time Temperature Controls
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ROP Vac Packaging
C. botulinum issue if refrigerated vs. frozen
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Labeling
Mandated vs. Enforced ?
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Regulatory Status - USA
CO is not approved as a food additive CO is not
approved as a color additive CO can not be used
to a make product look better than it is
YET while FDA did not grant GRAS status for use
of tasteless smoke, they did not object to a
petition for use with tuna ?
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Regulatory Status - USA
FDAs response issued caution with the use of CO
and specified necessary labelingTuna,
Tasteless Smoke (as a preservative)Tuna, Carbon
Monoxide (as a preservative)
Similar position on red meat petition?
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Regulatory Status - USA
NMFS - voluntary inspection services (fee) ?
List NMFS Approved Operations - basic
sanitation - HACCP program - color standards
(fading) ?
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Regulatory Status - Other Nations
USA - primary market Japan - banned
if CO concentration greater
than 500 ug/kg (?)Canada - not currently
approved since requested in
1999 EU - Committee objections in 2001,
yet limited utilization in
meats (Norway)
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Commercial Development - Trends
CURRENT SITUATIONS ? Less experienced
participants ? Competition - Patent
infringement Royalties - Fresh vs. Frozen
Producers - Refreshed Products
? Negative Publicity Anticipated ? Public
Reactions ?
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Negative Publicity
Tuna's Red Glare? It Could Be Carbon
MonoxideHiroko Masuike for The New York
TimesAPPETIZING? At Oh! Raku, above, tuna,
boldly red, has been treated with gas. By JULIA
MOSKIN (Oct. 2004)
http//www.gassedfish.com/page3.html
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Negative Publicity
Often competitors with refrigerated products
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Negative Publicity
China treats fish with carbon monoxide !
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Congressional Activity

• Hearings regarding CO use with red meats
• Congressman Dingills
• Food and Drug Import Safety Act calling
  for alternative labeling requirements for
  CO exposed meat, poultry and seafood

CO Pack
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Histamine Concern
Species specific issue - claiming potential
scombrotoxic illnesses due to consumption of
certain fish that looked good or acceptable
although it may have suffered thermal abuse prior
to processing or during subsequent handling or
storage
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Histamine Concern

• Evidence for document illnesses for such
  ?
• Offers safety option for USAs growing
  dependence on imports from long-distant
  sources
• Can be addressed with better controls per
  species, frozen storage and labeling

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Science
Science is trailing commercial practice

• Controls - initial product condition vs. CO
  applications - product shelf-life after thaw -
  user safety in applications
• Monitoring - detection vs. labeling -
  shelf-life for quality and product safety
  - time temperature integrators (TTIs)

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Questions ?