Fish fillet buyers can find on this site a list of locations where fish processing industries are mostly found, starting from the largest fish producing countries. These are the:
Furthermore, these countries also account for almost half of the global processed fish products. Moreover, the Northwest Pacific region is considered to be the key fishing zone. This area has recorded the highest catch in terms of volume and processing of caught fish.
It has been reported that around 30% of fish used for commercial use are marketed as fresh fish for consumptions. The remaining is generally supplied as frozen fish fillet and frozen fish. Nowadays, most developing countries are consuming fish fillets or fish as ready-made meals and expediency food products. In addition, the end product of the processed fish fillet can be fresh, frozen, as moulded loins, canned fish, fish oil and meals, or fish protein products.
Species that are usually processed by fish processing companies include Cod, Hake, Haddock, Tuna, Herring, Mackerel, Salmon and Pollock.
Nowadays, fish processing industries are very well known internationally. Each fish fillet processing industries are relatively different in terms of productivity, types of operations and yield. However, around 90% of oceanic fish are used for fish productions and the remaining 10% accounts for fresh fish and fish from aqua-cultural production. Most fish fillet processing industries are found near the commercial fishing zone. But, in certain regions, fish that are caught for commercial use, are transported or exported to other areas for processing.[1]
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The fish processing procedures can start either on the fishing vessel or at the plants. Most of the fish processing stages usually take place at the plants but in certain cases where big Sea fleets operates; some processing steps can be take place at Sea. For example, the fish are headed and gutted on the board fishing vessel itself.
Nonetheless, the process involved in filleting of whitefish is moderately different as compared to the filleting of oily fish.
The production of fish fillet involves a number of steps that are needed to be followed. It starts from pretreatment, filleting of the fish, grading and trimming of the fish fillet till package and storage of the fish fillet. Each of the stages mentioned above take place in different departments in the fish processing plants. [2]
Whitefish such as hake, Cod and Haddock has soft white flesh and thus make it easy to fillet. The fish is gutted, trimmed and de-headed. Sometimes this process takes place in the fishing vessel itself. The fish are then place on ice and kept in certain type of boxes before being delivered to the fish processing plants. Upon the arrival at the processing plant, the fish is de-iced and placed in chilled storage until the next processing stage is started. Now, the next step to follow is the pretreatment stage. Here, the fish are trimmed for blood, bones fins, black membrane, and fleas, loose fish scales, de-headed and graded according to the required size. The trimming department is strictly controlled by operators. Here, the operators carefully examine the fish fillets in order to ensure that safety procedures have been applied effectively. If some certain defects are detected, strict measures are taken by the food safety management. This is known as Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP).
After the pretreatment stage, the fish are filleted. This is usually done by mechanical filleting machine but in some processing industries, all fish are hand filleted. Nevertheless, industries which use mechanical filleting machine, the filleting department are generally separated from the pretreatment department in order to ensure that workers from non-sterile pretreatment area are not passing through the sterile filleting care area. The machine which is used for the production of fish fillet, consist of cutting knives which cut the fillet from the backbone and take out the collarbone. Skinning of the fish fillet is done at this stage.
After completion of all the above, steps, the fish fillet is processed into different types of end products. This is done as per customers requirements. The fish fillet may be cut into different weight and divided into fish loins, fish fillet tail, etc. It is then packed individually in blocks and kept in cold storage.
In certain fish processing industries, fish filleting are done manually. This way of fish processing involves high labor costs as industries need to employ more people to work in their plant. An example of a fish fillet processor in Namibia which apply this method of filleting is Seawork Fish Processors Ltd. Every single fish processed at the plant is being hand filleted so as to ensure that the highest quality of fish products being delivered to its customers. [3]
During the processing of fish fillet, the fish is headed, gutted, de-iced and de-scaled. It is then graded and filleted by hand. After the processing phase, the fish fillet is trimmed for blood, bones fins, black membrane, fleas, loose fish scales and sorted. It is then packed and kept frozen in cold storage. [4]
Oily fish are species that have oils throughout their tissues and as well as in the belly cavity around the gut. Up to 30% of oil is found in the fillet of the fish species but this varies between species. Examples of Oily fish include Salmon, Tuna, Mackerel, Herring and anchovy.
Due to the extensive oil content found in these species, the fish is not headed and gutted on the fishing vessel. This is by far avoided in order to reduce the risk related with Oily surface. The oily skin of the fish is kept as it retains the quality of the flesh. The filleting process is almost the same the whitefish but oily fish is mostly used as canned fish.
Fish processing highly involves very strict controls and measurements in order to ensure that all processing stages have been carried out hygienically. Thus, all fish processing companies are highly recommended to join a certain type of food safety system. One of the certifications that are commonly known is the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP).
HACCP is a system which identifies hazards and implements measures for their control. It was first developed in 1960 by NASA to ensure food safety for the manned space program. The main objectives of NASA were to prevent food safety problems and control food borne diseases. HACCP has been widely used by food industry since the late 1970 and now it is internationally recognized as the best system for ensuring food safety.[5]
HACCP is endorsed by the:
There are seven basic principles that must be followed which are:
Principle 1: Conduct a hazard analysis.
Principle 2: After assessing all the processing steps, the Critical control point (CCP) is controlled. CCP are points which determine and control significant hazards in a food manufacturing process.
Principle 3: Set up critical limits in order to ensure that the hazard identified is being controlled effectively.
Principle 4: Establish a system so as to monitor the CCP.
Principle 5: Establish corrective actions where the critical limit has not been met. Appropriate actions need to be taken which can be on a short or long-term basis. All records must be sustained accurately.
Principle 6: Establish authentication procedures so as to confirm if the principles imposed by HACCP documents are being respected effectively and all records are being taken.
Principle 7: Analyze if the HACCP plan are working effectively.