The use of smoke in processing fish is a very old method and obviously
suitable.
It is actually quite smart to associate the use of CO with the traditional
smoking of fish. However the problem with the use of industrial CO ( the "
easy shortcut " ) is that its main objective is enhancing and keeping the
red blood color in the muscle meat and to whiten fish flesh so to prolong
the shelf life "perception" of the fillets. Even bad quality fillets look
and keep looking great if they are treated with CO, hence the customer runs
the risk of getting cheated visually, since red is very often associated
with " freshness ". The second problem is that the law requires CO to be
labled, which is rarely done currently. If it is already labled, it is very
often called " Tasteless Smoke " and although some processors use "
Tasteless Smoke " equipment, most probably the big chunk of " Tasteless
Smoke " product presently on the market is actually treated with industrial
CO, straight from the bottle. Wud you buy Tilapia fillets at your seafood
counter when it reads " Treated with industrial CO to preserve color " ?
As far as I know there is not alternative to CO when it comes to preserving
the red color appearance. Maybe other list members have any knowledge to
share ?
The reason why the "sophisticated " method is developed: simple: out of
necessity, as I said this method makes detection of use of CO rather
difficult since the CO traces left in the product are minimized as compared
to " uncontrolled overdosing " in method 1 and 2 hence chances of getting
caught are way less....
Freek
----- Original Message -----
From: "Gabriel Rivera" <griveralo@yahoo.com>
To: <seafood@ucdavis.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2002 11:59 PM
Subject: Fwd: Re: Re: CO gas treatment of Tuna loins and Tilapia fillets
> Dear listers:
>
> I own a group of shrimp and tilapia producers located
> in Ecuador. One of my members is asking a couple of
> questions to the group, specifically to Mr. Huskens.
>
> Could you please answer his questions?
>
> Thanks
>
> Following you cand find original message:
>
> Gabriel Durán <durangabriel@yahoo.com.mx> escribió: >
> A: FarmavetID@yahoogroups.com
> De: Gabriel Durán <durangabriel@yahoo.com.mx>
> Fecha: Tue, 19 Feb 2002 10:41:09 -0600 (CST)
> Asunto: Re: [FarmavetID] Re: CO gas treatment of
> Tuna loins and Tilapia fillets
> Responder a: FarmavetID@yahoogroups.com
>
> Hello friends:
>
> The subject is interesting to me, due to the smoking
> fish procesing, in someplaces, is saw as an suitable
> process to storage fish and seafood.
>
> But Mr. Huskens, I do not understand what the use of
> CO is not suitable to process fish (tilapia and tuna)?
>
> Is it dangerous to eat this kind of fishes?
>
> Are there alternatives to CO in the processing of
> fishes?
>
> Why reason this "sophisticated method" is considered
> by fish factories?.
>
> I hope you answer,
>
> Gabriel
>
>
>
>
> > Freek Huskens <freekan@indo.net.id> escribió: >
> > > A: <evertliewes@hotmail.com>,
> > <seafood@ucdavis.edu>
> > > Asunto: Re: CO gas treatment of Tuna loins and
> > > Tilapia fillets
> > > Fecha: Tue, 19 Feb 2002 18:44:26 +0700
> > > Responder a: freekan@indo.net.id
> > >
> > > > Evert:
> > > >
> > > > To my knowledge there are several methods of
> > > > applying CO to Tilapia / Tilapia fillets:
> > > >
> > > > 1. on the live fish, bubbling in industrial CO
> > in
> > > > live fish holding tanks, killing the fish by
> > > > asphyxation
> > > > 2. on the fillets by packing several kilos of
> > > fresh
> > > > fillets in large poly bags and fill the bags up
> > > with
> > > > industrial CO and leave it for several hours.
> > > > 3. inject the CO in previously vacuumized
> > baggies,
> > > > leave it for some time and suck out the excess
> > CO
> > > > again
> > > >
> > > > The latter method is the most sophisticated and
> > > most
> > > > controlled method, making CO residue detection
> > in
> > > > labs rather difficult.
> > > >
> > > > In my view: it is a bloody shame to adulterate
> > > such
> > > > an all natural product in such a bad manner as
> > > this
> > > > can damage the image of Tilapia as a wholesome
> > > > seafood item if nothing is done to ban the use
> > of
> > > CO
> > > > ( as has been already done in Japan, Korea,
> > Canada
> > > > etc. ) FDA and the EU are ( still ) very
> > tolerant
> > > in
> > > > this respect ........... a matter of time ?
> > > > Hopefully !
> > > >
> > > > Freek
> > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > From: Evert Liewes
> > > > To: seafood@ucdavis.edu
> > > > Sent: Tuesday, February 19, 2002 4:12 PM
> > > > Subject: CO gas treatment of Tuna loins and
> > > > Tilapia fillets
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > In the seafood archives I found some emails
> > > about
> > > > earlier discussions on this subject of CO (march
> > > > 1999, log 9902).
> > > >
> > > > It is right that in the EU it is not allowed
> > to
> > > > use CO as an additive to fish products. However
> > at
> > > > present there are considerable imports of so
> > > called
> > > > "cold smoked" tuna loins and tilapia fillets
> > > (China
> > > > - Taiwan) which are exposed to CO.
> > > >
> > > > The food authorities in The Netherlands did
> > not
> > > > agree to this treatment, but did not come into
> > > > action as they were not sure of winning a case
> > > > against the method of addding CO in a so called
> > > > "cold smoking" process.
> > > >
> > > > Does anybody know how this the "smoked" tuna
> > > loins
> > > > and tilapia fillets are treated to get this nice
> > > red
> > > > colour and is it really a kind of smoking
> > process?
> > > >
> > > > What is legal position the marketing of CO
> > > treated
> > > > fish products at present in other EU countries
> > and
> > > > in the USA?
> > > >
> > > > Does anyone use CO for the killing of fish and
> > > is
> > > > this allowed? Does this also leave fillets with
> > a
> > > > more red and lasting colour?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
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