PROPER HANDLING,

AND SHELF-LIFE
OF FISH
(Principles, Practices and Techniques)
TOPIC OUTLINE
• Fish Handling
• Low temperature preservation
• Sensory Evaluation
INTRODUCTIO
N
 The Philippines is one of the top fish producing
countries in the world. In 2017 the total
volume of fisheries production in the
Philippines reached 4.125 million metric tons.

 There is an average of 10 – 15% loss in the total

fish production due to improper handling,
processing, and preservation.
FISH HANDLING
Handling the fish from the time it leaves
the water until it reaches the consumers
which requires a number of guiding
principles
SHELF-LIFE

• The period during which the product

maintains its microbiological and
chemical safety and sensory qualities at
a specific storage temperature.
• Defined as the period that the fish is fit
for human consumption.
PHASES OF FISH
HANDLING IN THE
PHILIPPINES
1. CATCHING
2. HANDLING ON BOARD
3. PORTS AREA / LANDING AREA
4. PACKAGING AND
TRANSPORTATIO
N
 Once fish are caught, death and spoilage
commence and there is a continual and
irreversible deterioration in quality
 Fish
Spoilage
 Spoilage is the result of a series of changes brought
about in the dead fish mainly due to enzyme and
bacterial action.

 In areas where temperature is high, fish spoil within

hours depending on the species and the method of
capture.

Fish undergoing spoilage has one or more of the following

signs: slime formation; discoloration; changes in texture;
off- odors; off-flavors and gas production
WHY FISH SPOILS FASTER?
A. Due to its principal components

Water 70-80%

Protein 20%
Lipids 1-7%
Non-protein N 2%
Inorganic salt 1%
Vitamins Traces
WHY FISH SPOILS FASTER?
B. Due to its complex processes

 Rigor Mortis
 Autolysis
 Bacterial Decomposition
 Chemical Changes
RIGOR MORTIS
The progressive stiffening of
muscle shortly after death
AUTOLYSIS the “self-digestion” of animal tissue

by enzymes from its own body

Autolysi
s
BACTERIAL DECOMPOSITION

Microbial growth and activities

produce compounds responsible
for odor/flavour of spoiled fish
 10 oC

0 oC

10 oC

0 oC

10 oC

0 oC

14
CHEMICAL CHANGES

Rancidity
Discoloration
 SAMPLE FISH SUPPLY CHAIN
Fishing grounds
Harvesting/
Transport
Catching

Aquaculture
farms

Transport
Landing centers

Processing
Wet Markets Plant Cold Storage

Domestic Market Export Market

Consumer Consumer
Refrigeration Refrigeration 16
Major Techniques in Prolonging
Fish Freshness
 Try to chill fish as soon
TIME
as possible after harvest
Major Techniques in Prolonging
Fish Freshness
PREVENTING
PHYSICAL DAMAGE

Prevent bruising, cuts to the skin

carefully sort and classify fish according to
species and size
properly or neatly arrange fish by species,
layer by layer, big fish on the bottom and
small fish on top with enough ice on every
layer
use appropriate fishing gear to avoid struggle
of fish during harvest
transport/deliver fish in closed or covered
vehicles or in refrigerated van
properly wrap or pack fish in appropriate
packaging materials
Major Techniques in Prolonging
Fish Freshness

PREVENTING
CONTAMINATION
 Major Techniques in Prolonging Fish
Freshness
CONTROLLING
TEMPERATURE

Low temperature
keeps bacterial,
biochemical and
chemical activity at a
reduced rate
LOW TEMPERATURE
PRESERVATION
A. Chilling – the processes of cooling fish and
shellfish to a temperature approaching that
of melting ice.
 Most common method is icing

23
 TYPES OF ICE

Flake ice Crushed ice

Tube ice Block ice 24

 CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD
CONTAINER/ FISH BOX

Easily Strong and

robust
cleaned

Has good
Good drain thermal
insulation
25
TYPES OF CONTAINERS
SHELF-LIFE OF FISH STORED IN ICE
Fish Species Length of storage in ice
(days)
Tilapia 22 – 28
Catfish 16 – 18
Tuna 29
Grouper 28
Spanish Mackerel 11
 EFFECTS OF DELAY IN ICING ON
SHELF-LIFE OF MILKFISH
Delay in Icing Shelf-life (days)
(hrs)

0-4 14-17
8-12 7-10
Ambient 20 hrs

Dela Cruz – Hidalgo et.al

LOW TEMPERATURE PRESERVATION
B. Freezing
- the initial temperature
of the product is
reduced to -18⁰C or
lower with most of the
tissue water turning
into ice.
COLD STORAGE
After freezing, the time between unloading
the products from the freezer and putting
them in the cold store should be as short as
possible.

TEMPERATURE FLUCTUATION

Exposure to fluctuating temperature results

in protein denaturation in the frozen fish.
30
 EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE ON
SHELF-LIFE OF FISH
Fish Ambient Iced -10 ⁰C - 30 ⁰C
27 ⁰C 0 ⁰C
Roundscad 12 h 21 d > 3 mos. > 1 year
(Villadsen et. al.)
Milkfish (Dela Cruz, 20 h 17 d > 3 mos. > 1 year
Hidalgo, et.al.)

Shrimp 16 h 16 d > 3 mos. > 1 year

(Reily et.al 1986)
 STORAGE LIFE OF SOME FISHERY
PRODUCTS AT FROZEN TEMPERATURE
(Source: FAO Technical Paper)

Storage life, months

-18 ⁰C -25 ⁰C -30 ⁰C
Fatty fish, sardines, salmon, ocean 4 8 12
perch
Lean fish, cod, haddock 8 18 24
Flat fish, flounder, plaice, sole 9 18 24
Lobster, crabs 6 12 15
Shrimp 6 12 12
PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS
The initial quality of the product subjected to
low temperature preservation must be at an
acceptable level.

The temperature handling through the whole

distribution chain must be properly taken care
of, otherwise all good intentions in the first step
will prove to be meaningless.
 HOW TO DETERMINE FRESHNESS OF
PROCESSED FISHERY PRODUCTS

A. SENSORY EVALUATION
The scientific discipline used to evoke, measure,
analyze and interpret those reactions to
characteristics of foods and materials as perceived
through the senses of sight, smell, taste, touch and
hearing

34
 QUALITY TABLE FOR FRESH FISH
(SENSORY EVALUATION)
Body
Class Gills Eyes Appearance Texture Quality

dark red color; bright metallic;

5 some thin clear clear pupils,
natural colors;
iridescent; firm
firm before
or in rigor
Excellent

slime; marine convex scales; little or

smell no slime

red color; some bright metallic; natural colors; firm

4 slime, but still slightly cloudy iridescent; firm
Good

thin and clear; pupils; slightly scales; some

no smell convex slime
Class Gills Eyes Body Texture Quality
appearance
red-brown slight red firm Average
3 color; some
dull; pupils
cloudy; flat; color; scales
thick slime; some blood loose; more
beery/mousy/ thick slime
warm smell

2 brown color;
lot of slime;
dull; pupils
cloudy; slightly
red/yellow
color; scales
soft Poor
slight ‘off’ concave; missing; dry
smell bloody skin; a lot of
yellow slime

brown color; a dull; pupils red/yellow very soft, Very

1 lot of slime; cloudy; color; few mark of
very bad smell/ concave or scales; dry finger left if poor
ammonia smell bulging out; skin; a lot of pressed
with blood thick yellow
slime
THANK YOU!!!