Treatment of tuna with carbon monoxide
If by hazard you mean a hazard to the health of a consumer of tuna treated
with carbon monoxide then there does not appear to be a risk to health.
There is a review of safety aspects of tuna in meat by Sorheim, O., Aune, T,
& Nesbakken,T. Technological, hygienic and toxicological aspects of carbon
monoxide used in modified-atmosphere packaging of meat, Trends in Food
Science & Technology, 1997, 8, 307-312. The review refers to meat being
packaged in gas mixtures containing 60-70% carbon dioxide, 30-40% nitrogen,
and less than 0.5% CO. The authors concluded there was no health risk to
consumers of meat packaged in this mixture. The subject of carbon
monoxide-treated meat has also been reviewed for the European Commission:
Scientific Committee on Food, 2001, Opinion of the Scientific Committee on
Food on the use of carbon monoxide as component of packaging gases in
modified atmosphere packaging for fresh meat. SCF/CS/ADD/MSAd/204 Final.
European Commission, Health, Consumer Protection Directorate-General,
Brussels, Belgium, http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/fs/sc/scf/out112_en.pdf.
The Conclusions section of the report states:
"The Committee therefore concluded that there is no health concern
associated with the use of 0.3%-0.5% CO in a gas mixture with CO2 and N2 as
a modified atmosphere packaging gas for fresh meat provided the temperature
during storage and transport does not exceed 4ºC. However the Committee
wishes to point out that, should products be stored under inappropriate
conditions, the presence of CO may mask visual evidence of spoilage."
I am not aware of any corresponding reviews in respect of us of CO in fish.
However, the possible risk to human health of CO in fish is not the issue;
in some countries its use is classed as a food additive or a process and is
subject to regulation.
Peter Howgate
----- Original Message -----
From: "ahmed al-hosni" <al_hosniahmed@hotmail.com>
To: <seafood@ucdavis.edu>
Sent: Sunday, May 08, 2005 6:50 AM
Subject: carbon monoxide treatment in tuna
>
>
> Dear All,
>
>
> If possible, could someone highlight the associate hazard when using
> carbon monoxide treatment in tuna loins in particular with Thunnus
> albacares.
>
>
> Thank you in advance
>
> Ahmed Al-Hosni
> Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries
> Sultanate of Oman
>
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