RE:

From: Adam Simpson (AdamS@ahsl.co.nz)
Date: Thu May 18 2000 - 14:06:28 PDT

  • Next message: Andrew Strak: "Re:"

    Thanks all

    Just to clarify a point, would this ammonia or TMA smell still be apparent
    subsequent to deep frying?

    Adam Simpson
    Health Protection Officer
    Public Health
    Auckland Healthcare Services

    > -----Original Message-----
    > From: Andrew Strak [SMTP:abstrak@accesswave.ca]
    > Sent: Thursday, 18 May 2000 01:18
    > To: AdamS@ahsl.co.nz; seafood@ucdavis.edu
    > Subject: Re:
    >
    > Adam,
    >
    > Although ammonia is amongst the common products of fish spoilage, in
    > particular for shrimp and elasmobranchs, but for most of other sea
    > finfish
    > it is actually a compound called TMA or trimethylamine derived from the
    > reduction of TMAO or trimethylamnine oxide during fish decomposition. And
    > if
    > the odor threshhold value for ammonia in fish is 110 ppm, for TMA is only
    > 0.6 ppm, therefore it is most often the TMA level that determines if the
    > product is being considered spoiled or not. Apart from those two pretty
    > sharp smelling substances, there is also a gamut of others, some of them
    > being typical to specific species and others to the spoilage stages and
    > substrates involved. What all of them have in common, it is their
    > extremely
    > obnoxious sensory properties but not any risk of burning anybody's mouth
    > at
    > their predominant concentration levels.
    >
    > Regards,
    >
    > Andrew Strak
    >
    >
    > ----- Original Message -----
    > From: "Adam Simpson" <AdamS@ahsl.co.nz>
    > To: <seafood@ucdavis.edu>
    > Sent: Tuesday, May 16, 2000 11:24 PM
    >
    >
    > > Hi List
    > >
    > > I have received several complaints relating to a very strong ammonia
    > smell
    > > associated with fillets from various different types of fish. I believe
    > > this is an indication of spoilage and have also been made aware it
    > relates
    > > to the gutting of the fish. Is there any literature or comments out
    > there
    > > to provide me with further explaination/clarification? Could this smell
    > > ever reach the stage of causing a physical reaction such a burns to the
    > > mouth?
    > >
    > > Much appreciated
    > >
    > > Adam Simpson
    > > Health Protection Officer
    > > Public Health, Auckland Healthcare Services
    > >
    > >



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