Recently did a test on raw vacuum packed salmon.
We sliced one salmon into fillets at the central kitchen before vacuum packing (total 7 packets). These samples are stored in chilled conditions at the central kitchen and delivered daily to the outlet before the lab picks it up from there. We were extremely careful during processing at central kitchen, taking care to sanitize work area.
Our chef went down to the outlet and processed one salmon there. Salmon fillets are cling wrapped and stored in the chiller with the vacuum packed salmon. There has no form of sanitization at the outlet.
Day 1 & 2, sent two packets to outlet. One collected in the afternoon and one collected the next day.
These are the results:
Day 0 (Collection at central kitchen): 940 CFU
Day 1 (Collection at outlet): 6800 CFU
Day 1 (Collection at outlet, after storage overnight): 54,000 CFU
Day 2 (Collection at outlet): 23,000 CFU
Day 2 (Collection at outlet, after storage overnight): 13,000 CFU
Outlet results are all less than 700 CFU even after storage for 3 days in cling wrap.
The lab that conducted the test said that it could be because it is a different fish / different part of the fish.
I would like to know if it is possible for a vacuum packed fish that is stored in chilled conditions to have such a high count as compared to one that is cling wrapped. If so, how? could the bacteria multiply in these conditions?
Thanks!