Dear Sue
Pardon me; I did not read you message properly. You asked about glazed products. There is an AOAC method, 963.18, but I do not have a copy of it. Appended is the procedure given in Codex Alimentarius standards.
Peter Howgate
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ANNEX B: METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF NET CONTENT OF FROZEN FISH BLOCKS COVERED BY GLAZE
1. PRINCIPLE: The pre-weighed glazed sample is immersed into a water bath by hand till all glaze is removed (as felt by fingers). As soon as the surface becomes rough, the still frozen sample is removed from the water bath and dried by use of a paper towel before estimating the net product content by repeated weighing. By this procedure thaw drip losses and/or re-freezing of adhering moisture can be avoided.
2. EQUIPMENT:
Balance sensitive to 1 g
Water bath, preferably with adjustable temperature
Circular sieve with a diameter of 20 cm and 1-3 mm mesh apertures (ISO R 565)
Paper or cloth towels with smooth surface
A freezer box should be available at the working place
3. PREPARATION OF SAMPLES AND WATER BATH: The product temperature should be adjusted to -18/-20ºC to achieve standard deglazing conditions (especially necessary if a standard deglazing period shall be defined in case of regular shaped products).
After sampling from the low temperature store remove, if present, external ice crystals or snow from the package with the frozen product.
The water bath shall contain an amount of fresh potable water equal to about 10 times of the declared weight of the product; the temperature should be adjusted on about 15ºC to 35ºC.
4. DETERMINATION OF GROSS WEIGHT After removal of the package, the weight of the glazed product is determined: In case of single fish fillets, single weights are recorded. The weighed samples are placed intermediately into the freezer box.
5. REMOVAL OF GLAZE: The pre-weighed samples/sub-samples are transferred into the water bath and kept immersed by hand. The product may be carefully agitated, till no more glaze can be felt by the finger-tips on the surface of the product: change from slippery to rough. Needed time, depending on size/shape and glaze content of the product, 10 to 60 sec. (and more in case of higher glaze contents or if frozen together). For block-frozen products in consumer packs (also for single glaze products, which are frozen together during storage) the following (preliminary) procedure may be applicable: The pre-weighed block or portion is transferred onto a suitable sized sieve and immersed into the water bath. By slight pressure of the fingers separating deglazed portions are removed fractionally. Short immersing is repeated, if glaze residues are still present.
----- Original Message -----
From: Sue Roux
To: Seafood HACCP Mailing List
Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2004 1:21 PM
Subject: RE: official FDA method of calculating glaze on frozen fish
Good day the list
Please help with the "official FDA method " of calculating glaze on frozen fish fillets, cutlets etc.
I have an almost illegible old photocopy of something with ,what I think reads - 50 CFR Ch. II (10-1-94 Edition)
thanking you in advance
Susan Roux
QC Manager
Merlus Seafood Processors
Walvis Bay
Namibia
TEL : +264 64 216900
FAX : +264 64 216901
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