Normative for final temperature of precooked fish patties?

Hi Guys

I would like to ask if anyone knows a normative for final temperature of precooked fish patties,

we are developing precooked fish patties which are frozen how ever I am not sure about the final temperature after the precooking process.

Thanks for your help and soon answer.

Hi,

Can you elaborate on what you mean by 'precooking'. Are you selling these as fully cooked? or as part cooked? 

If fully cooked, you should aim for a core temperature of 75°C. This should be followed up with some validation work sending samples to the lab to ensure microbiological limits are within specification.

If these are part cooked, you are simply looking for a textural and colour change so the patties hold their shape through protein denaturation. Core temperature is not really an issue as the products would be sold with full cooking instructions for the consumer.

Thanks

Simon

Hi Simon

The product is pre cooked and then frozen we are not selling as a full cooked product,  the consumer must fry them in order to eat, and in the package there is the cooking instructions.

I was wondering about microbiological issues such us coliform or even histamine (the fish is tuna). 

Hi,

You have stated that the product is 'pre-cooked' if this is the case, then the patties are cooked, and therefore only require reheating in the fryer before consuming? Be careful by your wording as if you are audited and use the words pre-cooked it could imply you have cooked the products to a point where they are microbiologically safe to eat.

For coliforms and histamine, I would use the UK HPA 2009 guidelines on:  http://www.hpa.org.u...e/1259151920651

I know these are UK guidelines, however they can give you some good support and background information. You will also need to conduct analysis for histamines and should conduct these based on a risk assessment. Look at your country and your supplier, how frequently histamine is detected in tuna, what are the counts etc.... this can give you an idea of the frequency of testing. You obviously don't want to overkill this as it can get very expensive.

I oversaw a BRC audit involving Samosa products. These were sold as uncooked, however had been fried during manufacturing. On some occasions the probe temperature reached 75°C however on other times only 55°C. The frying was for colouration only, not food safety because it was sold with "cooking instructions" as you have stated. We received a MAJOR non-conformance as the auditor stated that because pasteurisation temperature could be, and was achieved on some occasions, this should be consistent.

Thanks,

Simon