Sharon,
Since you have been testing the product already, you have developed a
history of the microbiological flora and counts after your method of
processing. I will make an assumption that the testing is also after
freezing the raw lobster meat since cuts for sashimi and sushi must be
frozen after processing. The pathogens obviously must be negative. For the
most part, your product is sterile muscle. The only bacteria present would
be from the process because the lobster meat should be frozen quickly to
prevent bacterial growth. It is expected that the counts would be
relatively low, both for plate counts as well as the indicator counts for
coliforms and E. coli. In the range of <10,000CFU/g, 10CFU/g and <10CFu/g,
respectively. You should be able to determine the levels that are
achievable, safe and acceptable from your present data.
There is not a standard, but I did find this paper on the net which could
give you some insight into the bacterial load found on sushi in Hong Kong.
http://www.fehd.gov.hk/safefood/report/sashimi/ss_ras2_eng.pdf
Larry Wyatt
Larry Wyatt, PhD
Chief Executive Officer
FoodHorizon Inc
979-696-7654
Fax: 413-674-9126
www.foodhorizon.com/info.html
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-seafood@ucdavis.edu [mailto:owner-seafood@ucdavis.edu]On
Behalf Of Sharon Cameron
Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2003 9:48 AM
To: 'Seafood@ucdavis.edu'
Subject: Lobster Bacterial Counts-Sushi
I am looking for information on maximum bacterial counts found in raw
lobster meat for a product that may be used for shashimi sushi.
We have been testing for Aerobic and Anaerobic Bacteria, S. Aureus,
salmonella and Listeria on a regular basis, is there anything else that we
should look at, as this is a potential new product?
Thank you,
Sharon Cameron
Biology Department
Tel: (902) 457-2390
Fax: (902) 443-8365
Clearwater Lobsters
A Division of Clearwater Seafoods Limited Partnership
www.clearwater.ca
The world's ocean food company.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Thu Nov 13 2003 - 18:16:07 PST