Industries - Seafood
As well as the traditional microbiological testing of seafood products, seafood facility Environmental, Equipment, and Antibiotic testing, Strasburger & Siegel offers a full range of antibiotic testing including Chloramphenicol and Fluoroquinalones, and Histamine testing.
Our fully trained organoleptic specialists can do Decomposition Analysis on raw or minimally processed seafood. When cooking or seasoning interferes with the analysts ability to 'sniff' the seafood, or when the sensory evaluation is inconclusive, our Analytical Chemistry group can confirm the presence of compounds such as indole, ammonia, cadaverine and putrescine. Our results have been accepted by FDA Districts throughout the country.
Seafood is the leading cause of reported food borne-illness outbreaks where both the food and the hazard are identified, according to a 2002 CSPI report. Scombrotoxin, a toxin that can develop in fresh tuna, mahi mahi, and other finfish that aren’t kept cold, and ciguatera, a toxin occurring in tropical reef fish like grouper and red snapper, are among the hazards that should be tested for, according to CSPI. Also testing for Listeria monocytogenes, mercury, and coliforms, as well as the dangerous Vibrio bacteria, which can contaminate raw oysters and other shellfish, especially those harvested from the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
Our Seafood HACCP trained Consulting group can assist in the development or revision of your HACCP Plan, and can help design effective and reliable monitoring and verification program.
Allergen identification and cross contamination is an issue for all segments of the Food Industry. Strasburger & Siegel can assist with the development of an Allergen Control Program, including periodic testing of product and environment for Milk/Dairy, Peanut, Egg and Wheat contamination.
Mercury in Seafood is cause for concern for pregnant woman and small
children. However, most fish contain very low levels of mercury, well below a
level that is of concern, as evaluated by several different health
organizations. FDA recently published a list of fish with there average
mercury content. The four fish that should be eaten only occasionally are King
Mackerel, Shark, Swordfish, and Tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico. These are
all large, long-lived fish. Smaller, shorter-lived fish do not accumulate high
levels of Mercury, so are much safer to eat. Strasburger & Siegel tests
for Mercury in seafood.
HHS - Before the House Committee on Agriculture, Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry - May 1996
"We know from decades of experience that seafood has unique qualities and that specialized skills and knowledge are required to carry out our statutory responsibilities. Seafood is a disparate array of products encompassing literally hundreds of edible species that have little in common other than an aquatic origin. Collectively, seafood has perhaps the most diverse and complex microbiology of any food commodity. The range of habitats for edible species is also diverse. These habitats have a bearing on the types of microorganisms, toxins, parasites, chemicals, and other potential hazards that fish and shellfish may be exposed to that can affect human food safety."
For information about this segment of the food industry go to the National Fisheries Institute.
