Allergens testing in seafood

Hi Everyone,

We are seafood processors. we have IQF (Individually Quick Freeze) processing line for shellfish (shrimp & squid) and finfish (like tuna, amberjack and other fish). I need to validate that our process lines are not causing any cross contamination between these two types of seafoods, as allergens present in shellfish and finfish are different. we thoroughly wash our process lines after processing of each type of seafood on the equipment or you can say after each product change.

I thought we need swabs of our processing lines after washing, but when I asked the external laboratories to do so, they did not understand that what I am asking for. So, can anyone suggest the allergens testing method which is generally used for this type of validation, so that I can convey the same to the testing laboratories.

Thanks everyone in advance

Greetings Nazia,

What you want to ask the laboratory is for an allergen detection analysis or in other words an allergen protein or a surface protein (allergen) swab analysis for your products. Either of these descriptions should be enough for them to understand, if not change the laboratory (!!!).

There are a few methods of analysis, one of the most common is ELISA (others are LFD, LC-MS etc). If for some reason you can't get them to understand you could always go for the ready allergen test kits and do it yourself. This way you will have your results fast and don't worry about sending samples after every production change between the products.

I also think that in the long run it will be less costly if you buy it and do it yourselves than sending samples, cause since you alternate between the two different allergens, safety-wise you should do this everytime a production change occurs.

Regards!

Greetings Nazia,

 

What you want to ask the laboratory is for an allergen detection analysis or in other words an allergen protein or a surface protein (allergen) swab analysis for your products. Either of these descriptions should be enough for them to understand, if not change the laboratory (!!!).

There are a few methods of analysis, one of the most common is ELISA (others are LFD, LC-MS etc). If for some reason you can't get them to understand you could always go for the ready allergen test kits and do it yourself. This way you will have your results fast and don't worry about sending samples after every production change between the products.

I also think that in the long run it will be less costly if you buy it and do it yourselves than sending samples, cause since you alternate between the two different allergens, safety-wise you should do this everytime a production change occurs.

 

Regards!

Hi Evans,

Thanks but I suspect the OP is looking for a supplier link for a swab test kit.

Something like this from google -

https://www.romerlab.../fish-test-kit/

Thanks Evans X, yes you are right,  It is better option to do the test in our in-house lab, but then I thought that auditor might not except our in-house testing results at the time of audit, or if you can suggest me the way forward, based on your experience.

Thanks Charles. I will see if this company is supplying in Pakistan.

Hi Charles, yeah I didn't think it this way, so good you provided a link example for one!

Nazia as in every standard the thing you have to do in the end is to provide evidence that your method works. So you can easily do this by having a parallel sampling with an external lab in a set frequency -once in 2/ 3/ 4/ 6 months maybe- in order to give your auditor proof that you get the same results in comparison with another external sampling under the same conditions (as my primary work is in a laboratory and also a consultant this is one quick option I can think of that auditors do accept). If the lab was also accredited for said analysis it would be even better but I would say optional.