Cold smoked salmon micro

[Richard Chivers]

I have a client who cold smokes farmed Atlantic salmon.  He has had problem with Listeria welshirmeri turning up which gives us jitters in case monocytogenes does too.

He tested raw fillets for microbiological counts and got these results:

Listeria <10

TVC                3.0 x 10³

Coliforms       210

Enteros          170

And these results post smoke

Listeria <10

TVC                <20

Coliforms       <10

Enteros          <10

A separate batch post smoke and ‘D’ slicing had:

Listeria <10

TVC                2.75 x 10³

Coliforms       <10

Enteros          <20

Government guidelines give up to 106 TVC.

In each case the post smoke products had another 10 days shelf life.

My feeling is that these are acceptable figures but I would value your opinions.

I know his fear is that the hygiene indicators show that there is a source of contamination an as he is building a new section on the factory to deal with the issue, he does not want to contaminate the development.

He has push through smokers.

I have advised using captured equipment on each side of the smokers so none passes from low risk to high care.  Plus the usual full clean down of equipment and utensils and drainage that already goes to low risk.

I would be interested to know what generic figures industry has for end of shelf life micro counts.

All views welcome.

Kind regards

Richard 

Richard Chivers BSc MIFST

Food Safety Southwest

IFST Food Safety Manager
SALSA Auditor and Mentor

07811 643209

ric...@foodsafetysouthwest.co.uk

www.foodsafetysouthwest.co.uk