Jon makes a crucial distinction between "net weight" and "drained
weight". He is correct in his statement that the net weight is what
sales are generally based upon. I just wanted to add a couple more
thoughts on this nasty, confusing business.
What brings confusion to the matter is the practice which has recently
emerged where a glazed product is sold as a percentage of "true" net
weight. That is to say a product that might be represented as "90% net
weight" , that is to say a 10 lb. box may only contain 9 lbs. of product
(i.e. 9 lb. net weight). That product will sell at a discount to those
aware of the distinction or at the full market value of 10 lbs. to those
who are not aware. If the price of an IQF product is too good to be
true, this is a good place to start looking as to why.
Drained weight is another, more complicated matter altogether. This
becomes critical in block frozen products such as shrimp or scallops.
There is no good way I know of to deduce the input weight without fully
thawing the product and incurring some amount of drip loss. In both
these products it is possible (and not uncommon) to input less than the
true net weight then make up the difference by adding water. As a
matter of fact, some people specify that the packer do exactly that to
keep costs down!
Net net, the motto is buyer beware.
George Souza
Endeavor Seafood
172 Thames St.
Newport, RI 02840
401-841-5412
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-seafood@ucdavis.edu [mailto:owner-seafood@ucdavis.edu] On
Behalf Of Jon McGraw
Sent: Monday, April 08, 2002 10:22 AM
To: 'seafood@ucdavis.edu'
Subject: RE: reply to inquiry from our Florida Department of AGriculture
Evert,
Attached you will find AOAC method for determining net weight of frozen
seafoods. Note, this is officially recognized as the NET weight and NOT
the drained weight. Sales in the U.S.are typically based on this weight.
Items subject to economic fraud due to added or artificially retained
water (i.e. excess phosphates in shrimp and scallops) may also be tested
for the drained weight. Standards exist for acceptable percentage of
stated net weight for items such as these.
Regards,
Jon McGraw
(c) Net Contents of Frozen Seafoods-Glazed Seafoods (AOAC "Official
Methods of Analysis" section 18.002).
(1) Procedures. Set scale as in section 32.059 above, on firm support
and level. Adjust 0 load indicator or rest point and check sensitivity.
(2) Remove package from low temperature storage, open immediately and
place contents under gentle spray of cold water. Agitate carefully so
product is not broken. Spray until all ice glaze that can be seen or
felt is removed. Transfer product to circular No. 8 sieve, 20 cm (8")
diameter for packages <0.9 kg (2 lb) and 30 cm (12") for packages 0.9 kg
(2 lb). Without shifting product, incline sieve at angle of 17-20 to
facilitate drainage and drain exactly 2 min. (stopwatch). Immediately
transfer product to tared pan (B) and weigh (A). Weight of product=A-B.
-----Original Message-----
From: Evert Liewes [mailto:evertliewes@hotmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, April 06, 2002 12:41 AM
To: seafood@ucdavis.edu
Subject: Re: reply to inquiry from our Florida Department of AGriculture
Fully agree on this. Net weigth should never include glazing. The
misunderstanding may be that some companies sell 100 kg frozen product
including x % glazing. The net weight should then be 100 - x kg. Others
sell products exluding the glazing. In Europe most French customers want
offers excluding glazing. The latter price being higher.
My questions is what is the best method to determine the net (drained)
weight of frozen glazed fish or shrimp. When I freeze 100 kg of fish
with 10% glazing I end up with 110 kg. However following thawing this
may only prove to be 95 - 98 kg. Due to water loss of the destructed
tissue and/or due to weight loss during the freezing process. This gives
raise to interesting discussions with cutomers who all use different
methods of determing the net weight. Are there any tables to predict
these differences in weight loss?
Evert Liewes
Pampuszigt 20
1111 TH DIEMEN
The Netherlands
Tel: +31-20-4161374
Fax: +31-20-4161378
Mobile: +31-653 750 272
----- Original Message -----
From: BOBFISH@aol.com
To: seafood@ucdavis.edu
Sent: Friday, April 05, 2002 9:14 PM
Subject: reply to inquiry from our Florida Department of AGriculture
Subj: Re: Net weight in frozen block glazed products
Date: 4/4/2002 11:23:11 AM Eastern Standard Time
From: robertm@doacs.state.fl.us (Martha R Roberts)
To: BOBFISH@aol.com
Bob,
Heck no water isn't included in the net wet unless you are selling
water. Who is this asking? A product must have an accurate statement
of net contents in terms of weight or fluid ounces. If the product is
Shrimp, Net Wt 8 oz, then you must have 8 ounces of shrimp in the
package. This does not prohibit adding an ice glaze if one is desired
to maintain freshness on long term storage. You still have to have the
declared weight of product and the ice does not count as shrimp. We
regrettably have had several companies who have made that contention on
whom we have taken regulatory action.
Have a great morning.
Martha
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Mon Apr 08 2002 - 13:24:29 PDT