| Hazard: | Biological -- Spore formers -- Clostridium botulinum
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| Source: | Clostridium botulinum type E occurs naturally in marine sediments in most areas of the world and fish may ingest it whilst feeding. However, note that current data indicates that it is not present in the sediments from inshore coastal areas around New Zealand and Australia and therefore not reasonably likely to be found in fish species from these countries. The focus is on product prepared without a sporicidal processing step, such as smoked products, and which are stored under conditions where the bacterium may grow e.g. low oxygen or modified atmosphere packaging, chilled storage temperature.
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| Justification: | Microbial pathogen data sheet.
*The food supply chain is becoming increasingly global and imported seafood may be smoked and placed in sealed packages for sale which may permit the growth of C. botulinum and production of toxins if the appropriate controls are not in place. MPI is aware of food operators who either intend to cold smoke imported fish fillets within New Zealand or currently thaw frozen imported smoked fish and distribute this to retailers for sale. In both scenarios C. botulinum should be a hazard reasonably likely to occur in the product and there should be a consideration of how the hazard is controlled. The imported fish may be a source of C. botulinum.
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| Control Measure: | Sourcing fish from New Zealand (there is evidence that C. botulinum is not present in marine sediments around New Zealand). For imported sources of fish, control the formation of C. botulinum toxin through an application of science based options involving packaging type, storage temperature, and water activity e.g. the use of salt in the water phase based on those stated in the CODEX STAN 311-2013 Standard for Smoked Fish, Smoke-Flavoured Fish and Smoke-Dried Fish.
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| Reference: | Risk Profile Clostridium botulinum in Ready-to-Eat Smoked Fish and Shellfish in Sealed Packaging.
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| Last Updated: | 17/10/2019
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