Seafood represents a significant investment and needs special care and handling to maximize shelf life and maintain safety. Time and temperature abuse enable bacteria naturally present on fish to produce histamines that can cause serious illness. Fish most known for this type of foodborne illness are those in the Scombridae group, including tuna, mahi-mahi, and snapper. Also note that histamines are heat-stable and will not be made inactive by cooking.

Fish needs to be inspected for signs of decomposition and routinely tested for histamine levels. Your suppliers must be key control partners, and you need to verify that they are.

Other toxins are produced in fish and shellfish as they ingest protozoa in the water where they are feeding. Routine sampling of fish and shellfish as well as the waters and beds in which they are harvested are key control practices.

Some more points to consider related to your fish and seafood safety program:

• Train your staff to recognize the quality signs of fresh fish. Sight and smell are key, as well as proper temperature monitoring.
  
• Verify that your receiving practices are being followed each shift, each day, for all deliveries.
  
• Maintain records that clearly note times and temperatures.
  
• Iced fish within a refrigeration unit add potential for cross-contamination. Make sure you are capturing the ice run-off safely and not allowing fish to be stored in standing ice water.
  
• Wash and sanitize all storage containers after each use. Do not reuse them, as that may add bacterial load to new products.
  
• Frozen fish should be maintained at -10°F or lower. Prevent temperature fluctuations to maximize storage life.

Remember that seafood is extremely sensitive to time and temperature abuse, and since much potential mishandling can occur out of your control, you must be confident that your suppliers are as committed to food safety as you are.

Norm Faiola, Ph.D., is associate dean and associate professor in the Department of Nutrition and Hospitality Management at Syracuse University. Email Dr. Faiola with questions or comments at nafaiola@syr.edu.