How to Monitor Brining as a CCP Step in Fish Processing
Hi
I have been asked a question that I can't answer with confidence, and was looking for a little insight!
How can brining be monitored if it is a CCP? If, for example, fish is brined before cooking, I'm aware that it would have microbiological benefits, but isn't it also a quality step in the process?
How would you regularly measure it? by using time? pH?
I'm really at a loss as to how it could be monitored and recorded at regular intervals - any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank You
Hi Dee,
A few questions; what risk is being controlled by the brining? If you didn't brine the fish but then simply cooked it, would the hazard be controlled or not? Is the brine salt based or salt and low pH?
Hello,
I am kinda new into quality, but firts things that comes to my mind is to know why ist brining a CCP? That can answer your question :) CCP is "A step in the process where a food safety hazard (like bacteria, toxins, or allergens) can be prevented, eliminated, or reduced to a safe level — and where control is essential."So if brining is a step where this applies, in what way does it cause there to be fewer pathogens present? - for example:
If Your CCP Is brinig so does for exmpl: Salt Concentration What you're controlling: High enough salt concentration helps inhibit harmful microbes like Listeria monocytogenes or Clostridium botulinum. Critical limit example:
"Brine must be at 10% salt (w/v) or higher."......U can measure it by: refractometer,titration,salinometer :)
I know this is funky USA stuff, but it has a lot of information on brining that may still give you some ideas.
I know this is funky USA stuff, but it has a lot of information on brining that may still give you some ideas.
Did you mean to share a link?
Thank you everybody .. Just to answer a few of your questions
The hazard would be the multiplication of food pathogens during the smoking process .. but then there is a period during the process where the temperature is above the danger zone for a length of time but there is also a large part of the process sitting squarely in the danger zone - this stage is before the heat is turned up however.
Thank you for the information on fish / seafood .. I shall have a look through it!
I did find out, after much research, that the salinity of the water is actually regulated and brine has to be monitored with a salinometer.