(At Step 6 of the Procedure)
1. SCOPE
This standard shall apply to all commercial species of fish belonging to the family Engraulidae that have been either washed in salt water and dried or washed, boiled in salt water and dried.
2. DESCRIPTION
2.1 Product Definition
The product shall be prepared from fresh fish of the family Engraulidae obtained from the raw material described in Section 3.1.
2.2 Process Definition
The product shall be prepared by either washing fresh fish in salt water and drying or washing followed by boiling in salt water and drying. The drying process shall mean sundrying or artificial drying.
2.3 Handling Practice
Fresh anchovies that are not processed immediately after harvesting shall be handled under such conditions as will maintain the quality during transportation and storage up to and including the time of processing. It is recommended that the fish shall be properly chilled or iced to bring its temperature down to 0°C (32°F) as quickly as possible as specified in the "Recommended International Code of Practice for Fresh Fish" (CAC/RCP 9-1976) and kept at an adequate temperature to prevent spoilage and bacterial growth prior to processing.
3. ESSENTIAL COMPOSITION AND QUALITY FACTORS
3.1 Raw Material
3.1.1 Fish
The product shall be prepared from clean, sound fish which have characteristic fresh appearance, colour and odour.
3.1.2 Salt
Salt shall mean sodium chloride of suitable quality as specified in sub-section 5.4.2 of the "Recommended International Code of Practice for Salted Fish" (CAC/CRP 26-1979).
3.2 Final Product
3.2.1 The product shall be free from any microbiological spoilage, any visible fungal growth, any odour or colour indicative of spoilage, any insect infestation and any foreign matter.
3.2.2 The product shall comply with the requirements prescribed in Table 1.
Table 1: Requirements for Dried Salted Anchovies
|
Characteristics |
Requirement |
|
Sodium chloride, percent by weight, max (d.b.) |
15 |
|
Water activity (aw), max |
0.75 |
|
Acid insoluble ash, percent by weight, max. (d.b.) |
1.5 |
3.3.1 Breakage shall mean fish (excluding fins and scales) which is not intact. The percentage of breakage is determined by the number of broken fish over the total number of fish in the test sample.
3.3.2 The percent breakage defined in section 3.3.1 shall not exceed the limits specified in section 3.5.
3.4 Decomposition
The products shall not contain more than 10 mg/100g of histamine based on the average of the sample unit tested.
3.5 Size Classification
According to Annex A
4. HYGIENE
4.1 It is recommended that the product covered by the provisions of this standard be prepared and handled in accordance with the appropriate sections of the Recommended International Code of Practice - General Principles of Food Hygiene (CAC/RCP 1-1985, Rev 2-1997), and the Recommended International Code of Practice for Fresh Fish (CAC/RCP 9 - 1976).
4.2 To the extent possible in good manufacturing practice, the product shall be free from objectionable matter.
4.3 When tested by appropriate methods of sampling and examination, the product:
(a) shall be free from microorganisms or in amounts which may represent a hazard to health;5. PACKING(b) shall be free from parasites which may represent a hazard to health; and
(c) shall not contain any other substance originating from microorganisms in amounts which may represent a hazard to health.
(d) no sample unit shall contain histamine that exceeds 20 mg/100g
5.1 The product shall be packed in a suitable packaging material which is moisture proof, gas impermeable and of transparent characteristics.
6. LABELLING
In addition to the provisions of the Codex General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods (CODEX STAN 1-1985), the following specific provisions apply:
6.1 The Name of the Food
The name of the product shall be "Dried Salted Anchovies".
6.2 Grade and Size of Product
The grade and size of the product shall be declared.
6.3 Scientific and Common Names
The scientific and common names of the fish shall be declared.
6.4 Additional Requirements
The package shall bear clear directions for keeping the product from the time they are purchased from the retailer to the time of their use and directions for cooking.
7. SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS
7.1 Sampling
According to the Codex Sampling Plan for Prepackaged Foods.
7.2 Determination of Sodium Chloride
According to AOAC 937.09 (volumetric method).
7.3 Determination of Water Activity
According to AOAC 978.18.
7.4 Determination of Acid Insoluble Ash
According to method set out in Annex B.
ANNEX A
1. SIZING
Size shall be determined by the length of the product (whole fish).
|
Size Designation |
Length |
|
Small |
less than 3.5 cm |
|
Medium |
3.5 - 6.5 cm |
|
Big |
greater than 6.5 cm |
Each size of dried salted anchovies shall be classified into two grades as defined below:
|
Characteristics |
Grade |
|
|
A |
B |
|
|
Breakage |
Less than 5% |
Less than 15% |
|
Colour (comparison of colour must be among the same species of fish) |
Whitish or bluish or yellowish (characteristic of species) |
Off colour |
|
Odour |
No foul or rancid smell |
No foul or rancid smell |
1. PREPARATION OF SAMPLE
1.1 Use sample from A1.1
2. REAGENT
2.1 Dilute hydrochloric acid, 1:1
3. PROCEDURE
3.1 Weigh accurately about 2 g of the dried sample (from A1.1) in a tared porcelain, silica or platinum dish. Ignite with a burner for about 1 hour. Complete the ignition by putting sample in a muffle furnace at 600 ± 20°C until grey ash results.
3.2 Cool and add 25 ml of dilute hydrochloric acid, cover with a watch-glass and heat on a water bath for 10 min.
3.3 Cool and filter through Whatman filter paper No. 42 or its equivalent.
3.4 Wash the residue with hot water until the washings are free from chlorides as tested with silver nitrate solution and return the filter paper and residue to the dish. Keep it in an electric air oven maintained at 135 ± 2°C for about 3 hours.
3.5 Ignite it in a muffle furnace at 600 ± 20°C for 1 hour. Cool in a desiccator and weigh. Ignite the dish again for 30 min, cool and weigh. Repeat this procedure until the difference between two successive weightings is less than 1 mg. Record the lowest weight.
3.6 CALCULATION
where,
W is the weight in grammes, of the empty dish
W1 is the weight in grammes, of the dish with the dried sample taken from the test
W2 is the lowest weight in grammes, of the dish with the acid insoluble ash.
