Chapter: Operations & Documentation
Section: Process Controls
Sub-Section: F.B.14.3 Eviscerating

Elements

The regulatory requirements contained in this guideline will be met when:

F.B.14.3 (01) Eviscerating practices control or mitigate microbial contamination, growth, or other contamination. (Risk Ranking: High)

F.B.14.3 (02) Processing practices for uneviscerated fish control or mitigate microbial growth, or other contamination. (Risk Ranking: High)

Rationale

Evisceration is the complete removal of all internal organs in the body without cutting or puncturing them, including gonads.

Complete and proper evisceration is important to reduce the levels of bacterial pathogens and spoilage bacteria found in the intestines and the gills of fish.

Fish gills and intestines can contain high numbers of Clostridium botulinum spores, as Clostridium botulinum is often found in freshwater and marine environments. If environmental conditions are optimal, these spores can germinate and grow, producing a potent neurotoxin. To reduce the risk of toxin production, proper evisceration is important, as it removes the spores of Clostridium botulinum.

For example, finfish evisceration should be completed via the slicing of the abdominal cavity from the anus to collar. Evisceration includes removing all internal organs, blood, extraneous matter, etc.. Proper finfish evisceration shall leave only flesh, fat, and bone on the walls of the stomach cavity upon final rinsing. Gills should be completely removed leaving only the gill plate and collar.

Temperature control is also important, as Clostridium botulinum can grow and form toxin at temperatures as low as 3.3 degrees Celsius.

Once a fish is not alive, its enzymes and bacteria, mainly found in the intestinal tract, will move into the surrounding flesh and weaken it. This weakening will allow spoilage bacteria to invade the area and cause rapid deterioration. This results in flavor, texture, and appearance changes in the flesh and spoilage of the fish. Evisceration reduces the rate of spoilage and increases the shelf-life of the product.

Best practices include:

  • eviscerate fish as soon as possible after the fish is harvested to minimize microbial growth,
  • ensure proper temperature control by refrigeration or storage on ice to limit growth of bacteria, particularly Clostridium botulinum (Refer to FPG – Handling and Storage),
  • thoroughly removing all internal organs, while minimizing contamination of the fish flesh
    • if even a portion of the viscera or its contents is left behind, the risk of toxin formation by Clostridium botulinum remains,
  • avoid puncturing or cutting internal organs to prevent contamination by their contents,
  • thoroughly wash the fish, inside and out, with potable water after evisceration.

Uneviscerated fish

There are some traditional fish products that are made from uneviscerated fish. Examples of this type of fish products are fesikh, moloha, kapchunka etc. which are uneviscerated fish that are salted to control microbial growth. Fesikh has been linked to outbreaks of botulism, as Clostridium botulinum spores present in the viscera can germinate if the salt does not penetrate to all internal organs of the product. Toxin may be present in these products even when there are no outward signs of bacterial spoilage or other clear indications to alert the consumer. There is currently no prohibition against the production, sale or distribution of uneviscerated fish products in Canada.

Whether the end fish product is a whole fish, fillets or parts, if botulinum toxin has formed during production of the product, the end product cannot be made safe by further processing, refrigerating, freezing, aerobic or vacuum packaging.

There must be a written process control procedure in place for this type of fish product. (Refer to FPG Process Controls – General).

When processing uneviscerated fish products, processing parameters should control or inactivate pathogens.

For example:

  • using smaller fish [less than 5 inches (12.7 cm) in length], so that salt diffuses evenly throughout the product more quickly,
  • strict refrigerated temperature control during processing, as is it known that Clostridium botulinum can grow and form toxin at temperatures as low as 3.3 degrees Celsius,
  • ensuring fish are not tightly packed during salting, so that the temperature of all fish and salt levels among fish are consistent,
  • having written process control measures in place for the finished product to control Clostridium botulinum, such as:
  • operators must consider methods of controlling parasites (Refer to FPG Process Controls – Parasite Control).

Best practices include:

Regulatory References

Food Safety and Quality Act, 2001; O. Reg. 465/19 s. 25 (3), 43, 51, 52, 53 (3), 55 (1), 56

  1. (3) Equipment used at a fish processing plant to cook, heat, treat, refrigerate or freeze a fish product must be designed and maintained so that it is effective in achieving any standards or temperatures that are required by this Regulation.
  1. (1) The operator of a fish processing operation in respect of which a licence is required under this Regulation shall ensure that fish products and ingredients are kept at a temperature and humidity that keeps them safe during processing, packaging, labelling, storing and handling.

    (2) The operator shall ensure that the temperature of every refrigerator used for the cooling or storage of fish products is maintained at 4 degrees Celsius or lower.

    (3) The operator shall ensure that the temperature of every freezer used for the freezing or storage of fish products is maintained at a temperature that will keep the products frozen.

    (4) The operator shall ensure that the temperature and humidity of every room in the fish processing plant used by the operation where fish products are received, processed, packaged, labelled, shipped, stored or handled are controlled to prevent the contamination of fish products, ingredients, labelling materials and packaging materials.

  1. (1) The operator of a fish processing operation in respect of which a licence is required under this Regulation shall ensure that written process control procedures are developed, implemented and monitored to effectively identify any risk of contamination of fish products, ingredients, labelling materials and packaging materials and to prevent, eliminate or minimize any identified risk.

    (2) The operator shall ensure that at the time the process control procedures referred to in subsection (1) are performed and monitored, a record is created that includes,

    1. the date the procedure was performed and monitored;
    2. the results of the monitoring, including any deviations from the process control procedures; and
    3. the actions taken in response to any deviations from the process control procedures, including disposing of the fish product or taking measures to produce a safe fish product.

    (3) The operator shall ensure that the process control procedures referred to in subsection (1),

    1. are reviewed as needed in order to,
      1. evaluate whether the procedures are being properly implemented, and
      2. verify the effectiveness of the implemented procedures with respect to producing a safe fish product; and
    2. are updated as needed.

    (4) The operator shall ensure that at the time a review referred to in clause (3) (a) is undertaken, a record is created that includes,

    1. the date the review was performed; and
    2. the results of the review.

    (5) The operator shall ensure that every record created under this section,

    1. is kept for at least one year from the date the record is created; and
    2. is readily accessible.
  2. The operator of a fish processing operation in respect of which a licence is required under this Regulation shall ensure that any regulatable activities engaged in by the operation are performed in a manner that minimizes the risk of contamination of fish products, ingredients, labelling materials and packaging materials and produces fish products that are safe.
  3. (3) The operator shall ensure that each fish product referred to in subsection (1) is prepared in accordance with its corresponding recipe.
  1. (1) The operator of a fish processing operation in respect of which a licence is required under this Regulation shall ensure that fish products, ingredients, labelling materials and packaging materials involved in any regulatable activities engaged in by the operation are,
    1. stored and handled in a manner that minimizes the risk of contamination;
    2. stored at a temperature of 4 degrees Celsius or less, if they must be refrigerated; and
    3. are kept frozen, if they must be frozen.
  2. The operator of a fish processing operation in respect of which a licence is required under this Regulation shall ensure that every fish product processed, labelled or packaged by the operation is,
    1. processed, packaged, labelled or stored in accordance with this Regulation; and
    2. safe.