Pangasius hypophthalmus (referred to as Pangasius or tra fish in Vietnam) has become highly appreciated by consumers in the European Union, USA, Japan, etc. and is of worldwide economic importance. Therefore, the microbial quality and safety of Pangasius fish processed for export was assessed by means of a microbial assessment scheme throughout the entire production process. A total of 144 samples were collected from various processing steps and analyzed. It was determined that the microbial safety and quality of the products was not guaranteed as the contamination levels remained high throughout processing. Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio cholerae were present on the hands of food operators, particularly those in the packaging area. Moreover, the presence of Listeria monocytogenes (1 positive out of 9 samples) and V.cholerae (4/9) on the final products was likely a result of inadequate hygiene practices in the processing environment. Also discussed in this paper are the results of a self-assessment questionnaire, which provide insight into the performance of the food safety management system currently implemented at the company. These data are of major importance in order to contribute valuable information to the local and international trade point of view in general and to the intended customers in particular
Although the farming of Pangasianodon hypophthalmus is of worldwide economic importance, only little scientific information is currently present on the microbiological quality and safety of these fish fillets throughout the processing chain. This research assessed the microbiological quality and safety of P. hypophthalmus in a Vietnamese Pangasianodon processing company as a case study. The company was initially characterized by a diagnosis of the food safety management system (FSMS) performance by an in-depth interview, which is referred to as a diagnostic instrument. Secondly, a microbiological assessment scheme (MAS), an active and repetitive sampling methodology, was used to evaluate the food safety output and the microbiological quality from raw material until final product. The overall MAS result (level 2) was found to be slightly lower than the company's food safety performance indicators had indicated (level 2-3). It can be concluded that the microbiological risk of the Vietnamese company and its products is medium high. This is mainly due to the lack of data and knowledge regarding the origin and composition of the microbiological flora present in the fish and in the processing environment. The variability in concentrations of microorganisms also contributed to this lower MAS score and could probably be reduced by improving some specific aspects of the FSMS and the production process
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.