Shellfish are a very popular and nutritious food source worldwide and their consumption has risen dramatically. Because of their unique nature as compared to beef and poultry, shellfish have their own distinct aspects of harvest, processing and handling. Edited by leading authorities in the field, this collection of review papers discusses issues of current interest and outlines steps that can be taken by the shellfish industry to improve shellfish safety and eating quality.Opening chapters provide an overview of the key issues associated with microbial and biotoxin contamination. Parts two and three then address in more detail methods to improve molluscan shellfish and crustacean quality and safety. Chapters focus on detection of algal toxins, monitoring and mitigation of the effects of harmful algal blooms, metals and organic contaminants, biofouling, disease control and selective breeding. Part four reviews legislation, regulation, public confidence in shellfish and risk management. Chapters on post-harvest issues, such as depuration, storage and packaging complete the volume.With its distinguished editors and international team of experts, Shellfish safety and quality is an essential reference for those in the shellfish industry, managers, policymakers and academics in the field. - Reviews the latest research on significant hazards such as microbial and biotoxin contamination - Discusses effective management of shellfish safety and quality, including emerging methods - Examines improved packaging methods

Seafood Safety and Quality continues to be a major public health issue and its importance has escalated to unprecedented levels in recent years. In this book, major seafood borne diseases and key safety issues are reviewed. In addition, emerging microbial agents, fish toxins and other contaminants including heavy metal; allergy, water safety and related topics are discussed. It also addresses the challenges faced by both developed and developing countries to ensure seafood safety in new seafood products and processing technologies, seafood trade, safety of foods derived from biotechnology, microbiological risks, emergence of new and antibioticresistant pathogens, particularly from emerging pathogens, directing research to areas of high-risk, focus intervention and establishment of target risk levels and target diseases or pathogens. The book serves as a comprehensive resource on the seafood borne diseases and a wide variety of responsible etiologic agents, including bacteria, viruses, parasites, seafood toxins, and environmental toxins. It has been written in a simple manner and should promote the efforts of the scientific community to deliver safe seafood for a better health and environment.

The global market for seafood products continues to increase year by year. Food safety considerations are as crucial as ever in this sector, and higher standards of quality are demanded even as products are shipped greater distances around the world. The current global focus on the connection between diet and health drives growth in the industry and offers commercial opportunities on a number of fronts. There is great interest in the beneficial effects of marine functional compounds such as omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Seafoods are well-known as low calorie foods, and research continues into the nutritional effects on, for example, obesity and heart disease. In addition, by-products of marine food processing can be used in nutraceutical applications. This book is a resource for those interested in the latest advances in the science and technology of seafood quality and safety as well as new developments in the nutritional effects and applications of marine foods. It includes chapters on the practical evaluation of seafood quality; novel approaches in preservation techniques; flavour chemistry and analysis; textural quality and measurement; packaging; the control of food-borne pathogens and seafood toxins. New research on the health-related aspects of marine food intake are covered, as well as the use of seafoods as sources of bioactives and nutraceuticals. The book is directed at scientists and technologists in academia, government laboratories and the seafood industries, including quality managers, processors and sensory scientists.

An essential part of diverse marine ecosystems, seafood organisms are especially vulnerable to changes in their natural habitats that affect their reproductive abilities, growth rate, and mutual inter- and intra-species interactions. Environmental Effects on Seafood Availability, Safety, and Quality Issues discusses a variety of factors, both intri

Seventy percent of the world's catch of fish and fishery products is consumed as food. Fish and shellfish products represent 15.6 percent of animal protein supply and 5.6 percent of total protein supply on a worldwide basis. Developing countries account for almost 50 percent of global fish exports. Seafood-borne disease or illness outbreaks affect consumers both physically and financially, and create regulatory problems for both importing and exporting countries. Seafood safety as a commodity cannot be purchased in the marketplace and government intervenes to regulate the safety and quality of seafood. Theoretical issues and data limitations create problems in estimating what consumers will pay for seafood safety and quality. The costs and benefits of seafood safety must be considered at all levels, including the fishers, fish farmers, input suppliers to fishing, processing and trade, seafood processors, seafood distributors, consumers and government. Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) programmes are being implemented on a worldwide basis for seafood. Studies have been completed to estimate the cost of HACCP in various shrimp, fish and shellfish plants in the United States, and are underway for some seafood plants in the United Kingdom, Canada and Africa. Major developments within the last two decades have created a set of complex trading situations for seafood. Current events indicate that seafood safety and quality can be used as non-tariff barriers to free trade. Research priorities necessary to estimate the economic value and impacts of achieving safer seafood are outlined at the consumer, seafood production and processing, trade and government levels. An extensive list of references on the economics of seafood safety and quality is presented.

Written by world government and industry experts, this book focuses on the application of new seafood inspection systems that ensure the public health while providing a reasonable environment for business. International trade has experienced very dynamic developments over the last few years, including new international trade agreements and new approaches in food safety inspection. The focus has shifted from traditional end product inspection to modern, preventive methods. Covering all aspects of the industry, Fish Inspection, Quality Control, and HACCP: A Global Focus aids readers in providing the safest possible high quality seafood to the ever-demanding public.

New research and development in biotechnology, microbiology, computer modeling and advanced analytical techniques has led to improvements in processing and product safety. This new book provides extensive new information on these developments, as well as research directions and challenges for the future.

While there are many quality assurance books on the market, very few address the application of the concept to the seafood industry. In addition, many of the books that are available take a theoretical approach and there fore do not provide actual examples of the "fins and bones" of quality programs. The author, in teaching quality assurance over nine years, has not been able to find a textbook that is suitable as a reference text in quality assurance courses for the seafood industry. It is this situation that has prompted the preparation of this book, which takes a practical approach to the subject of quality assurance in seafood processing operations. This book can serve as either a textbook or as a reference text. As a textbook it is written for students of quality assurance at the technician, technologist, and university levels. In this role it is intended that the student will start at the beginning of the book and proceed through in sequence, so as to gain a complete understanding of the design, implementation, and operation of a quality program in seafood processing operations. It is the hope of the author that the book also functions quite well as a desk reference for the managers of seafood processing operations who need to refer occa sionally to particular items or chapters. In this sense, each chapter is designed to stand alone as a discussion of a particular concept within the quality assurance discipline.