Phil,
Your product has been pasteurized but not sterilized therefore obviously it is not shelf-stable the same way as canned-food and consequently possibly only safe within a prescribed time-temperature storage regime. But in order to assess the risk properly, apart from the knowledge of a pasteurizing process design aimed at the elimination of specific target pathogens and storage temperature factors, there is also the need to quantify the impact of storage time during that your product was exposed to what you consider an abusive temperature range. The Compedium is based on scientific knowledge but not to be used in lieu of expert knowledge wherever there is a need for such. If you would like to have a bit more lively discussion on the subject and your concern probably better addressed, I would suggest to cross-post your inquiry to a more food safety oriented forum called foodsafe as well. You will find them at http://www.nal.usda.gov/foodborne/.
Andrew Strak
----- Original Message -----
From: Phil Houle
To: seafood@ucdavis.edu
Sent: Tuesday, May 23, 2000 5:16 PM
Subject: Vacuum pack imitation crab flakes
I am looking for additional information as to the proper shipping temperature for vacuum packed, ready-to-eat imitation crab flakes . The product ( surimi anolog ) was cooked after vacuum packing to acheive an internal temperature of 185 degrees F for 15 minutes. What pathogenic hazards would be possible if temperature abused above 38 degrees F and 50 degrees F. ?
I am asking these questions because I have been asking various seafood suppliers to install a temperature recorder in one of the cases with their product when they ship to our warehouse. It has proven that not all transport carriers maintain proper temperatures and I am concerned about time/temperature abuse in vacuum packed, ready to eat seafood products. I have read the FDA " Guide" and a Compendium of Fish and Fishery Process, Hazards and Controls manual and have not exactly pin-pointed what I'm looking for.
Thank you for any help you can provide.
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