Regulations for glazing on seafood
The optimum level of glaze is around 10% of the weight, although there is no legal maximum for the amount of glaze that can be used.
Glazing, a widely used technique is used to protect the quality of fish from the effects of long-term frozen storage. A layer of ice on the surface of frozen seafood like fish prevents the contact between the air and the food’s surface, reduces the rate of oxidation and controls moisture loss. The coating thicknesses are closely related to many factors, such as dipping time, fish temperature, and coating temperature. The quality of the product would be affected by the coating thickness, for example, if the coating thickness was too low (<6%), it might not be able to play a protective function completely over storage time, but excessive glazing (>12%) may harm the interests of customers. The optimum level of glaze is around 10% of the weight, although there is no legal maximum for the amount of glaze that can be used. The deglazed weight or ‘net weight’ is the true amount of product once the glaze is removed. When all similar products only show the net weight it allows the consumer to easily compare products before purchasing. This 'glaze' is considered to be part of the packaging material, and therefore must be excluded from the net contents.
No common declaration practice
In the past, there has not been a common industry practice regarding the declaration of ice glaze on product packaging, which has made it very difficult for customers to compare prices and know exactly how much fish they were buying. Some producers declare net weight of the total content of the package, while others declare "drained net weight" (excluding glaze) or state both gross weight and net weight on the packaging. This can result in some products looking artificially cheaper than others. An example; a foodservice customer buys 5 kg of fillet fish from two different producers, one of them declares net weight excl. glaze while the other just declare 5 kg on the packaging. If both producers glaze with 10% water, the end-user will get 500 g more fish from the first producer than from the second, making it very difficult to compare price per unit or price per kilogram.
EU regulations for standardization
In December 2011, the EU Regulation 1169/2011 (EU No 1169/2011) on the provision of Food Information to Consumers - FIC ), as interpreted by the EU Commission and agreed among the Member States, sets out the legal requirements for the presentation of this information. This guidance also makes reference to the Price Marking Order 2004 (PMO) as this requires the price of the product to be given as net weight in some circumstances where the FIC does not apply.
Determining the deglazing weight or net content
Codex’s international standards are widely accepted by industry to determine the glazing weight against actual seafood content and can be found on the Codex website. For both shrimps and seafood, Codex requires that the net weight of a sample is determined when it is frozen, without any packaging. Below are the Codex standards that highlight the seafood glazing requirements.
This standard covers quick frozen shrimps and prawns and outlines the two different procedures for thawing both raw and cooked frozen products. It then advises on the type of sieve to use, according to the weight of the total package being tested. Weigh the sieve containing the drained product. Subtract the mass of the sieve; the resultant figure shall be considered to be the net content of the package
This standard applies to quick-frozen fillets of fish and is offered for direct consumption without further processing. As soon as the package is removed from low-temperature storage, open immediately and place the contents under a gentle spray of cold water. Agitate carefully so that the product is not broken. Spray until all ice glaze that can be seen or felt is removed. Remove adhering water by the use of paper towel and weigh the product in a tared pan
Seafood testing and inspection services at Eurofins Sac Ky Hai Dang
Conducting testing at seafood testing and inspection centers is an important and mandatory step for businesses and seafood business establishments to be licensed and maintain their business and operations under Decree No. 26/2019/ND-CP regulates the testing of food in service of state management of food safety.
Seafood products and seafood that are distributed to the market is likely to occur in one of the following cases: The produced seafood products and seafood are located in an area contaminated by hazardous wastes and toxic chemicals; Fish and seafood contain residues of hazardous substances, which are not allowed to be used ... affecting the health of users, so they must be tested at seafood testing and inspection centers.
In addition, testing and inspection of seafood is also a way to minimize the risks of product quality and quantity before shipment, helping to minimize defective products in the production process. , minimizing complaints or lawsuits from customers, minimizing delays in the arrangement and distribution of goods.
Why choose Eurofins Sac Ky Hai Dang?
Eurofins Sac Ky Hai Dang is an independent testing laboratory with more than 10 certificates from the BOA and the governmental competent authorities such as the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Natures Resources and Environment.
Eurofins Sac Ky Hai Dang (formerly known as Sac Ky Hai Dang) with more than 12 years of experience in testing service, we have:
- High-level experts and technicians
- State-of-the-art equipment and machinery
- Focus on research and development
- Apply information systems exclusively developed for Eurofins - LIMs (Laboratory Information Management Systems) through all stages in the Lab.
- Service quality is our top priority and is always improved relentlessly under the supervision of European experts.
Moreover, Eurofins Sac Ky Hai Dang is a member of Eurofins Scientific, a network of more than 900 laboratories in more than 50 countries worldwide. Our experts always update the rules and regulations to advise the suitable analytical methods. We coordinate with the world’s leading contaminant analysis to provide optimal solutions to our customers. We offer to examine a large number of organic contaminants of anthropogenic origin, process contaminants, and migration residues, in a great variety of food and feed matrices with:
- Accurate and reliable results.
- Quality is the top concern.
- Best service with flexible TAT (normal test, quick test, emergency test).
- Diverse samples matrices.
- Accurate and reliable results
Visit our service article for more information
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To send samples or find more information, please contact us at:
Eurofins Sac Ky Hai Dang
- Lot E2b-3, D6 Street, Hi-Tech Park, City. Thu Duc
- 4th floor - Building B, No. 103 Van Phuc Street, Ha Dong District, Hanoi
- Room 319, Vietnam - Korea High-Tech Incubator, Road No. 8, Industrial Park Tra Noc 2, O Mon District, City. Can Tho
Hotline: (+84) 28 7107 78 79 - press 1 (Sales Dept.)
Email: VN_CS@eurofinsasia.com