Freezing Technology

Cleaning and disinfection agents

Cleaning and disinfection agents: Cleaning agents and disinfectants used should be appropriate for the purpose. It should not cause any hazard to public health and should meet the requirements of the official agency having jurisdiction.

Environmental control:

1. Equipment and environment of a fish processing plant should be cleaned and disinfected as frequently as it is necessary to maintain microbiological control; to ensure acceptable product safety, quality and stability; and to comply with corporate, customer and regulatory, requirements or standards of hygiene.
2. Wharf age, quays, markets and similar areas where fish are unloaded or displayed for sale, should be kept clean and disinfected.
3. Conveyances used for transporting fish should be cleaned and disinfected immediately after use and should be so maintained as not to constitute a place of contamination for the product.
4. Utensils and food-contact surfaces of equipment should be protected from contamination.

Waste control:

1. Removal of solid, semi-solid or liquid wastes from fish unloading, holding and processing areas should be on a continuous or near-continuous basis using water and/or appropriate equipment so that these areas are kept clean and there is no danger of contaminating the product.
2. If barrels or other containers are used on the cutting lines for the collection and disposal of offal, they should be located below the level at which the fish are processed and in such a way there is no splash-back on the processing line.

Pest control:

Effective measures should be taken to protect against the entry of pest into the premises, especially storage areas.Harbourage of insects, rodents, birds or other vermin. Dogs, cats and other animals in the premises should be excluded from areas where fish is received, handled, processed or stored.

Personnel hygiene:

All persons working in a fish processing plant should maintain a high degree of personal cleanliness while on duty and should take all necessary precautions to prevent the contamination of fish or its products or ingredients with any foreign substance. No person who is known to be suffering from, or who is a carrier of, any communicable disease or has an infected wound or open lesion should be engaged in the preparation, handling or transportation of fish or fish products.