WA Seafood Quality Management Initiative Activities
Here are some examples of activities that have been carried out under the SQMI since 1998:
- Production of sector-specific guides for 'best practice' handling, storage, labelling and transportation.
- Pilot project to implement SQF 2000 in seafood businesses.
- Pilot project to implement Food Safe Plus in seafood businesses.
- Quality index schemes as a tool to grade and estimate the shelf-life of fresh fish.
- WA Seafood Emergency Management Plan.
- Project to evaluate the effectiveness of different sanitisers for the seafood industry
- Seminars and workshops on seafood training and the implementation of food safety standards.
- Education and extension in association with the Home Economics Teacher Association.
- Pilot projects to improve seafood transport logistics.
For further information, please contact the SQMI Manager.
Seafood quality in a global context
International pressures to document food origins and demonstrate safe food production have been increasing during the last five years. Access to international markets is no longer simply a matter of a country or an enterprise having a good reputation for high quality food.
It is important to recognise that food safety can be used as a barrier to trade. Both the European Union and the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) have put in place measures that require a substantial level of traceability as to the source of a product.
Quality systems based on Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) are rapidly becoming the international standard for food safety. The lack of such a system in a seafood business will increasingly constitute a barrier to export opportunities.
It is these market forces that are increasingly driving the adoption of quality systems in seafood industries worldwide.
Domestically, research in Perth and Sydney during the last few years has confirmed that cleanliness of premises used to process seafood and the associated high standard of food safety is has a major influence when it comes to purchasing decisions.
The legal implications of food quality
Several examples of food safety problems highlighted in the media in the last few years have increased public concern regarding the safety of the food supply.
It is now clear from court cases as a result of these incidents, that, as a defence in law, all members of a 'chain of supply' must be able to prove, via documentation, that they did everything in their power to produce safe food.
Food Safety Legislation
The current food regulatory system in Australia has been undergoing a number of reforms. The introduction by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) of the Model Food Act, Food Standards Code and associated food safety standards mean that the responsibility for food safety now rests with industry. For a summary of food safety legislation that relates to the seafood industry, see SQMI Information Sheet 1 - 'The Model Food Act and the Food Standards Code'.
Implementation of the Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) Food Standards Code will impact on everybody in the seafood industry, in one way or another. Depending on the level of food safety risk, some may need to make small adjustments to their present practices, while others may need to make more substantial changes. Whilst large corporations are well positioned to meet new obligations, many small-to-medium size enterprises - which comprise the majority of the seafood industry - may require assistance to meet these standards.
In some cases when there is a legislative requirement to change business practices in relation to notification, recall, training or good manufacturing practice, businesses may be required to adopt a food safety program based on HACCP.
In practice however, even when there is not a legislative need to adopt a HACCP system, commercial considerations may come into play, with many larger retail outlets demanding such quality assurance systems from their suppliers.
The level of documentation required for each food safety program (whether for legislative or commercial reasons) will vary between different food businesses - and its detail and complexity may change with the size of the business. SQMI has produced a guidebook summarising all the food safety/quality assurance systems available to the seafood industry, with comments on cost applicability, etc, and this book is available from the SQMI Manager.
Seafood Industry Training
New food safety legislation includes a training requirement that acknowledges that people in a food business ought to have some understanding of how to handle food in a safe and hygienic manner.
In-house training courses may need to be undertaken in some instances, depending on the degree of risk for the business. The development of the Seafood Industry Training Package offers a seafood-specific training option that would be appropriate for employees undertaking higher responsibilities.
Details of the Seafood Industry Training Package can be found in SQMI Information Sheet 5 - 'The Seafood Industry Training Package - What is it?'
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