Safety and quality of frozen fish, shellfish, and related products

It is imperative to recognize that the safety of foodstuffs must not be compromised for quality. Humans consume over 1000 species of fish and shellfish that grow in diverse habitats and geographic locations of the world. These fish and shellfish unavoidably carry a variety of microorganisms from aquatic and terrestrial sources. The high levels of free unbound water and nutrient availability, combined with the psychrophilic character of fish microflora, render fish and fishery products more susceptible to wide aspects of safety and quality issues than foods derived from terrestrial animals, often spoiling in a short period of time under refrigeration. In addition to spoilage microorganisms, fish may contain various potential human pathogens. It is often difficult to maintain the quality of fish and fishery products due to the distance between consumers and the harvesting areas, which provide opportunities for microbial growth.