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• 16. Temperature Control

16. Temperature Control

Listeria are capable of growing at refrigeration temperatures but they prefer to grow at higher temperatures. It is important to control the temperature during all phases of processing to ensure the Listeria, and other potential pathogens, are not provided with an opportunity for significant growth.

Temperature prior to processing

• The temperature of harvested sea-food must be controlled prior to processing not only to control spoilage bacteria but also to control the growth of pathogens, including Listeria.
• Control of bacterial growth on harvested sea-food is achieved by;

• The temperature of fish and shellfish entering the packing house must be monitored and recorded. The allowable temperature of fish and shellfish is described in FIICC Industry Agreed Standards.

Processing temperatures

• The temperatures of processing operations must be carefully controlled to achieve the desired result.
• There are various heat treatments that, if controlled adequately, should kill Listeria and most other food pathogens. Appropriate time and temperature combinations should be determined for each operation.
• The internal product temperatures achieved and the time at those temperatures must be constantly monitored and recorded.
• The temperature of the processing environment should be controlled to restrict the growth of contaminating bacteria.

Refrigerated and frozen storage

• See FIICC Industry Agreed Standards for details of acceptable refrigeration and freezing conditions.
• The time that processed sea-food is exposed to the processing environment must be kept to a minimum.
• Processed sea-food should be chilled or frozen as soon as possible after processing. This will minimise the likelihood of contaminating bacteria growing prior to cold storage.
• A temperature gradient should be prepared, for reference, for normal processing conditions.
• The temperature of chillers and freezers must be monitored and controlled constantly.
• The rate of cooling or freezing will also determine the likelihood of significant bacterial growth.
• The product contact surfaces in chillers and freezers will accumulate product residues if not cleaned regularly. Ensure that all product contact surfaces, such as spiral belts or racks, are cleaned and sanitised daily.