)STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION FOR G.C.

C (GSO

GSO 1406 / 2005

FROZEN FISH FILLETS

ICS: 67.120

FROZEN FISH FILLETS

Date of GSO Board of Directors' Approval : Issuing Status :

25 / 10 / 1426/ H , 27 / 11 /2005 Standard

GSO STANDARD

GSO 1406 / 2005

Foreword
Standardization Organization for GCC (GSO) is a regional Organization which consists of the National Standards Bodies of GCC member States. One of GSO main functions is to issue Gulf Standards /Technical regulation through specialized technical committees (TCs). GSO through the technical program of committee TC No 5 " The Gulf Technical Committee for Food and Agricultural Standards Products" has updated the GSO Standard No. : 1406/2002. " FROZEN FISH FILLETS" . The Draft Standard has been prepared by (The State of Qatar) This standard has been approved as Gulf (Standard by GSO Board of Directors in its meeting No 4 held on 25 / 10 / 1426 / H , 27 / 11 /2005 The approved standard will replace and supersede the standard No. ( 1406 / 2002 )

GSO STANDARD

GSO 1406 / 2005

FROZEN FISH FILLETS

1.

SCOPE AND FIELD OF APPLICATION This standard applies to frozen fillets of fish of various species offered for human consumption without further processing. It does not apply to the product indicated as intended for further processing or for other industrial purposes.

2. 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17

COMPLEMENTARY REFERENCES GSO 9/1995 "Labelling of Prepackaged Foods". GSO Standard to be approved on "Methods of Sampling Fish, Shellfish and Their Products". GSO 589/1995 "Methods of Physical and Chemical Analysis of Fish, Shellfish and Their Products". GSO 655/1995 "Methods of Microbiological Examination for Meat, Fish and Shellfish". GSO 20/1984 "Methods for the Determination of Contaminating Elements in Foodstuffs". GSO 21/1984 "Hygienic Regulations for Food Plants and Their Personnel". GSO 149/ 2000 "Bottled and Unbottled Drinking Water". GSO 323/2000 "General Requirements for Transportation and Storage of Chilled and Frozen Food". GSO 150/1993 "Expiration Periods for Food Products. GSO 380/2000 "Chilled Fish". GSO 382, 383/1994 "Maximum Limits of Pesticide Residues Permitted in Agriculture and Food Products - Part 1 and 2". GSO 384/1994 "Edible Ice". GSO 839/1998 "Foodstuffs Containers - Part 1: General Requirements". GSO 988/1999 "Limits of Radioactivity Levels Permitted in Agriculture and Food Products - Part 1". GSO 998/1999"Detection Methods of Limits of Radioactivity Levels Permitted in Agriculture and Food Products - Part 1". GSO 1016/1999 "Microbiological Criteria for Foodstuffs". GSO Standard to be approved on "Detection Methods of the Maximum Limits of Pesticide Residues Permitted in Agriculture and Food Products".

GSO STANDARD
3. 3.1 3.2 3.3 DEFINITIONS

GSO 1406 / 2005

Fresh Fish: Fishes which are freshly caught and which have received no preserving treatment or which have been preserved only by chilling. Fish Fillets: Are slices of fish flesh of irregular shape and size removed from the fresh fish by cuts made parallel to the backbone. Glazing: Is a thin protective layer of ice which is formed on the surface of a frozen product by spraying it with, or dipping it into, potable water or potable water with approved additives (5/7). Defects Abnormal condition: means that the normal physical and/or chemical structure of the fish flesh has been sufficiently change so that the usability and/or desirability of the flesh is adversely affected. Jellied: refers to the abnormal condition wherein a fish fillet is partly or wholly characterized by a gelatinous, glossy and translucent appearance. Milky: refers to the abnormal condition wherein a fish fillet is partly or wholly characterized by a milky white, excessively mushy, pasty or fluidized appearance. Chalky: refers to an abnormal condition wherein a fish fillet is partly or wholly characterized by a dry, chalky, granular appearance and fiberless structure. Appearance defect: refers to the colour of the fish flesh and to the degree of surface dehydration of the product. Discolouration: refers to any readily discernible abnormal colouration including bruises, blood spots, browning, yellowing, and melanin spotting. Dehydration (freezerburn): loss of moisture clearly shown as white or yellow abnormality on the surface which masks the colour of the flesh and penetrates below the surface, and cannot be easily removed by scraping with a knife or other sharp instrument without unduly affecting the appearance of the fish. Thawing: is a process whereby heat is introduced into the frozen product in order to raise its temperature above freezing point. Pin bones "false ribs": these ribs are extending more or less horizontally from the pleural ribs into the muscle tissue (flesh). CLASSIFICATION OF THE PRODUCT The product classified according to: Packing Frozen individually glazed or unglazed. Frozen solid pack, glazed or unglazed.

3.4 3.4.1

3.4.1.1 3.4.1.2 3.4.1.3 3.4.2 3.4.2.1 3.4.2.2

3.5 3.6

4. 4.1 4.1.1 4.1.2

GSO STANDARD
4.2 4.2.1 4.2.2 4.2.3 5. 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 Styles Skin-on, unscaled, pin bones present or removed. Skin-on, scaled, pin bones present or removed. Skinless, pin bones present or removed. REQUIREMENTS

GSO 1406 / 2005

The following requirements shall be met in the frozen fish fillets: The frozen fish fillets shall be prepared from fresh fish which shall comply with GSO standard mentioned in (2/10). If the product does not freeze immediately, it shall be maintained at a temperature range between +1C to -0.5C for a time not exceeding 12 hours. The ice used in the chilling process shall comply with GSO standard mentioned in (2/12). The water used in the production shall comply with GSO standard mentioned in (2/7). The dressing and preparing fish fillets shall be met the hygienic regulations according to GSO standard mentioned in (2/6). The product shall be frozen at a temperature not exceeding -18C at the thermal centre of the product. Frozen fish fillets may be glazed either individually or in bulk, so as to minimize dehydration and oxidation. One of the following substances (sugar, starch, sodium alginate or carboxymethyl-cellulose) may be added to the water used in glazing to improve its durability. The temperature of glazing solutions should not be above 5C. The fish fillets after freezing shall be transferred immediately to freezer store at a temperature not exceeding -18C throughout. The maximum number of small fillet pieces (less than 30 gram) permitted is one per pack weighing less than 250 g and no more than 4 pieces per kg in packs of 250 g or more. The product shall have a flavour characteristic of the species. The texture of the product shall be firm and free from abnormal conditions such as chalkiness and milkiness. The final product shall be free from any foreign material, that poses a threat to human health. The product shall be free from discolouration and distinct objectionable odour or flavour characteristic of decomposition or rancidity.

5.9 5.10 5.11

5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15

GSO STANDARD
5.16 Defects

GSO 1406 / 2005

A sample unit shall be considered as a defective when it exhibits properties defined below: 5.16.1 Dehydration (freezerburn) Greater than 10% of the surface area of the sample unit or for pack size described below: Pack size a) 200 g units b) c) 201 - 500 g units 501 - 5000 g units Defect area 25 cm2 50 cm2 150 cm2

5.16.2

Parasites Presence of two or more parasites per kg of the product, where each parasite with a capsular diameter greater than 3 mm or a parasite not encapsulated and greater than 10 mm in length.

5.16.3 5.16.3.1 5.16.3.2 5.16.3.3

Bones (in packs designated boneless) More than one bones per kg of product greater or equal to 10 mm in length. Any bone less than or equal to 5 mm in length, is not considered a defect if its diameter is not more than 2 mm. The foot of a bone (where it has been attached to the vertebra) shall be disregarded if its width is less than or equal to 2 mm, or if it can easily be stripped off with a fingernail. Histamine content shall not exceed 20 mg/100 g of fish flesh. Total volatile basic nitrogen content shall not exceed 25 mg/100 g of fish flesh expressed as nitrogen. Trimethylamine-nitrogen content shall not exceed 3 mg/100 g of fish flesh expressed as nitrogen. Food Additives The following materials are permissible to added which shall not exceed the corresponding proportions:

5.17 5.18 5.19 5.20

GSO STANDARD
5.20.1 Moisture/Water Retention Agents - Monophosphate, monosodium or monopotassium (Monosodium or Monopotassium Orthophosphate) - Diphosphate, tetrasodium or tetrapotassium (Na or K pyrophosphate) - Triphosphate, pentasodium or pentapotassium or calcium (Na, K or Ca tripolyphosphate) - Polyphosphate, sodium (Na hexametaphosphate - Sodium alginate 5.20.2 Antioxidant - Ascorbate, sodium or potassium salts 5.21 -

GSO 1406 / 2005

10 g/kg expressed as P205, singly or in combination, (includes natural phosphate)

naturally present 5 g/kg

1 g/kg expressed as ascorbic acid

Content of the contaminating elements in the frozen product shall not exceed the following proportions (p.p.m.). Cadmium Mercury Lead 0.5 0.5 1

5.22 5.23 5.24

The microbiological criteria of the product shall not exceed the limits according to the GSO standard mentioned in (2/16). Pesticide residues permitted in the product shall not exceed the maximum limits according to the GSO standard mentioned in (2/11). Radioactivity level permitted in the product shall not exceed the maximum limits according to the GSO standard mentioned in (2/14). SAMPLING Samples shall be taken according to the GSO standard mentioned in (2/2).

6.

GSO STANDARD
7. 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 METHODS OF TESTING

GSO 1406 / 2005

Physical and chemical tests shall be carried out on the representative sample taken according to the GSO standard mentioned in (2/3). Microbiological tests shall be carried out according to the GSO standard mentioned in (2/4). Determination of contamination elements shall be carried out according to the GSO standard mentioned in (2/5). Detection of pesticide residues shall be carried out according to the GSO standard mentioned in (2/17). Detection of limits of radioactivity levels shall be carried out according to the GSO standard mentioned in (2/15). PACKING The containers used in the packing shall comply to the GSO standard mentioned in (2/13).

8.

9. 9.1 9.2

TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE The requirements mentioned in GSO standard (2/8) shall be met during transportation and storage of the frozen fish fillets. Frozen fish fillets shall be transported and stored at a temperature not exceeding -18C. LABELLING Without prejudice to the requirements stated in the GSO standard mentioned in (2/1) and (2/9). The following shall be declared on the label: The name of the product according to packing and styles. Date of frozen and expiration date in non-coded manner (month-year). In case of the glazed product, the net weight shall be determined. It is preferred to declare on the label. The appropriate storage temperature and the statement Dont refreeze upon thawing the product.

10.