Good Manufacturing Practices (Gmp) To Improve The Safety And Quality Of Smoked Fish

Abstract

Current methods employed in traditional fish smoking as well as the implementation of good manufacturing practices (GMP) and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) were investigated to identify microbial contaminants along fish processing value chain and to improve the safety and quality of traditional fish processing in Cape Coast. The total viable bacterial, coliforms, E. coli, and fungal counts were determined using the pour plate method. Physicochemical and nutritional qualities were also assessed by measuring pH, texture, brix, weight, browning index, chemical quality was analysed for peroxide value, histamine and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and nutritional qualities were also assessed by conducting proximate analysis. The total viable bacterial counts (TVBC) of the fresh fish were in the range of 4.18±0.02 – 4.20±0.13 (log CFU/g), coliforms, E.coli and fungal counts for the fresh fish were also 2.84±0.09 –2.72±0.09, 1.59±0.07 –1.11±0.10 and 3.86±0.08 - 3.65±0.07 (log CFU/g) respectively. After washing the fish with tap water, microbial count reduced to 3.60±0.03 – 398±0.03 (log CFU/g) for TVBC, 2.24±0.09 – 2.39±0.12 (log CFU/g) for coliforms, 1.09±0.00 – 0.85±0.21(log CFU/g) for E.coli, and 2.84±0.09 – 2.90±0.08 (log CFU/g) for the fungal count. Smoking led to a reduction in ˂ 1 log CFU/g counts for coliforms, E. coli, and 1.09 ± 0.12 – 1.39 ± 0.12 log CFU/ g fungal count. Implementation of GMP/HACCP led to lower counts of TVBC, coliforms, E. coli, and fungal counts below detection limits (<1.0 log cfu/g) of smoked fish. Histamine levels were in the range of 14.67 ± 1.92 mg/kg to 17.55 ± 5.9 mg/kg, were within the acceptable limits while peroxide values in the range of 48.26–56.85 meq/kg to 22.63–27.65 meq/kg remained higher than recommended levels with no detection of PAH4 levels in the smoked fish. This study has revealed that applying HACCP through the observation of good manufacturing practices, minimum handling, as well as segregation of raw materials from finished products, can improve the microbial quality of smoked fish.