Source: UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA submitted to
ASSESSING THE USE OF CARBON MONOXIDE AND FILTERED SMOKE ON THE SAFETY AND QUALITY OF SEAFOOD PRODUCTS
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
TERMINATED
Funding Source
OTHER GRANTS
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0193102
Grant No.
2002-51110-01970
Project No.
FLA-FOS-04068
Proposal No.
2002-03883
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
111
Project Start Date
Sep 1, 2002
Project End Date
Aug 31, 2006
Grant Year
2002
Project Director
Kristinsson, H. G.
Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
G022 MCCARTY HALL
GAINESVILLE,FL 32611
Performing Department
FOOD SCIENCE & HUMAN NUTRITION
Non Technical Summary
Recently some seafood processors/importers have introduced the use of carbon monoxide (CO) and filtered smoke (FS) to stabilize red muscle color prior to freezing. These processes have stirred considerable controversy due to concerns that CO/FS treated products could mask underlying seafood safety problems as color is significantly stabilized. CO/FS processing is currently legally practiced in the US and internationally on products entering the US market even though scientific understanding on the effect on product safety and quality is greatly lacking. We will perform a comprehensive integrated study on assessing the status of commercial CO/FS processing; examining ways to accurately determine the presences and quantity of CO in treated muscle; assess how different CO/FS processing methods will affect CO uptake into fish muscle; and determine the effect of different processing and storage treatments of CO/FS treated marine and aquaculture products and evaluating their effect on safety and quality. This work is expected to produce important unbiased scientifically based opinions and information which we will communicate to both industry and government for them to responsibly and correctly make use of this new emerging technology with public safety as the highest priority.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
50%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
5013799100020%
5013799200010%
5023799100010%
5023799200010%
5033799100010%
5033799200010%
7113799110010%
7123799110010%
7123799115010%
Knowledge Area
501 - New and Improved Food Processing Technologies; 502 - New and Improved Food Products; 712 - Protect Food from Contamination by Pathogenic Microorganisms, Parasites, and Naturally Occurring Toxins; 503 - Quality Maintenance in Storing and Marketing Food Products; 711 - Ensure Food Products Free of Harmful Chemicals, Including Residues from Agricultural and Other Sources;

Subject Of Investigation
3799 - Cultured aquatic animals, general/other;

Field Of Science
2000 - Chemistry; 1100 - Bacteriology; 1000 - Biochemistry and biophysics; 1150 - Toxicology;
Goals / Objectives
1. Conduct a comprehensive assessment on the current use and regulation of CO as a single gas, gas blends, or component of FS, or other treatment for fresh and frozen seafood and aquacultured products. 2. Evaluate available analytical methods for the determination of CO in seafood products, improve current methods and/or develop new tests. 3. Systematically investigate the effect of treating fish muscle with CO and FS on a) product safety, specifically the presence and proliferation of microbial pathogens and histamine development, and b) product quality, specifically color changes. 4. Disseminate the project results to support training, research, commercial practice and regulatory guidance.
Project Methods
1. The current and evolving practices of CO (carbon monoxide) and FS (filtered smoke) methodology will be assessed with regard to; application methods, concentrations and duration of exposure per product types, packaging and utilization, and domestic and international regulations and surveillance. The approach will involve interviews, on-site observations and surveys through various levels of production, processing, distribution and regulation. The site and individual selections will be determined with guidance from representatives from key US and international organizations. Their input will be gathered through teleconference, questionnaires, project reviews and group meetings at mutual annual events. 2. We will conduct experiments on real and model systems to determine the accuracy and repeatability of different methods to assess muscle CO concentration. Samples will be treated with a known volume of CO for different lengths of time and temperatures. The level of CO taken up in the samples will be determined by different established methods. A new technique and device to detect CO in seafood products will be developed. The basic concept for our unique CO detection method is to treat muscle tissue with high concentrations of competitive gas that will displace bound. We will investigate different variables such as gas type, sample amount, physical form and temperature. 3. A comprehensive study will be performed on what occurs with muscle of different commercially important species of fish, treated under various conditions with either CO or FS following different post-processing treatments. We will vary levels of CO/FS, exposure time, temperature, fish age and thickness of fillets/steaks. The kinetics and amount of CO uptake will be analyzed in different layers of the muscle. Color change, the presence and level of microorganisms, specific pathogens and histamine level will be determined. The control will be samples which do not undergo any CO or FS treatment. Mild processing procedures, high pressure and irradiation, aimed at reducing pathogens and histamine formation, with minimal effect on quality will be investigated. Selected CO/FS treated samples will be subjected to these treatments while another batch will be left untreated. The samples will be then subjected to the same tests described above. The processed and unprocessed samples will then be subjected to different storage experiments and the above safety and quality tests performed. 4. In addition to customary journal publications and research seminars/presentations at annual professional meetings the project will be compiled into a popular version(s) for commercial reference. This extension advisory text or technical paper is anticipated to support regular extension type training and individual advisory efforts. This text will be combined with actual demonstrations via scheduled workshops and formal classroom teaching to explain appropriate CO applications, handling, detection, and product assessments. As a result from this study we plan to organize an international conference at the University of Florida campus covering this topic.

Progress 09/01/02 to 08/31/06

Outputs
(1) The safety and quality effects of treating various seafoods (tuna, mahi, snapper, tilapia, mackerel etc) with various levels of carbon monoxide (CO) and filtered wood smoke (FS) was investigated in detail. Our work shows that there is a time dependent effect of the treatment on fish quality. Our investigations showed that CO and FS (to a lesser extent) influences red color of fish muscle, with 100% CO in many cases stabilizing the red color beyond point of spoilage. Red color of FS treated fish faded before spoilage was evident. Longer treatment times led to more microbial reduction and more suppression of microbial growth after product was removed from the gas or smoke environment. Histamine formation was also suppressed in certain treatments (FS), which was linked to suppression of histamine forming bacteria. Our studies indicated that FS led to more microbial reduction on treatment, and growth suppression beyond treatment, than industrial CO for both fresh and frozen products. The FS treated products also led to less histamine formation under thermal abuse conditions compared to untreated tuna and tuna treated with industrial CO. Both FS and CO treatments effectively reduced lipid oxidation on fresh and frozen storage, while FS treated product gave better sensorial results than 100% CO treatment. (2) Different test methods were developed to determine if products have been treated with gases containing CO. These included (a) spectroscopic analysis of heme protein-CO complexes in fish extracts, (b) rapid redox chemistry reactions involving reactions of CO with metals leading to distinct color reactions, and (c) rapid and accurate quantification of CO using gas chromatography. These methods have been validated on both model and real fish muscle systems and can be used in practice. (3) We developed a sensitive method to differentiate if products have been treated with industrial CO or FS. This method is based on analyzing volatile compounds found only in FS which partition into the fish muscle on treatment. The chemical makeup of the FS was also determined with this method and the threshold of detection established. This method has been developed and validated on both model and real fish systems and is ready to be used in practice. (4) A comprehensive international conference was organized in Orlando (Feb 1-3, 2005), with the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) on the use of CO and FS on seafoods, titled Modified Atmospheric Processing and Packaging of Fish: Filtered Smokes, Carbon Monoxide and Reduced Oxygen Packaging. A group of international experts on the topic from academia, government and industry presented, and the conference was very well attended and highly successful. This conference significantly advanced our current knowledge of this new topic. The outcome of this conference was a comprehensive book on the subject (titled after the conference), the first of its kind on CO and FS, which was published in September 2006. The book has been most well received. We have also presented out findings at numerous conferences and in several publications.

Impacts
The information we have generated on the effect of carbon monoxide and filtered smoke processing both on the molecular and applied level has produced very important knowledge on how these processes may affect quality and safety of different fish species and seafood products. We expect this information to play an important role in establishing guidance on how to properly use these new processing technologies and to what extent they can be used. Furthermore, our efforts related to developing CO and FS detection technologies are likely to be important tools to regulate these products on the market.

Publications

  • Otwell, S. W. Kristinsson, H. G., and Balaban, M, O. 2003. Use of carbon monoxide for the color retention in fish. First Joint Trans-Atlantic Fisheries Technology Conference TAFT 2003. June 10-14, Reykjavik, Iceland.
  • Kristinsson, H. G., Mony, S., Demir, N., Balaban, M, O., and Otwell, S. W. 2003. The effect of carbon monoxide and filtered smoke on the properties of aquatic muscle and selected muscle components. In: Proceedings of the First Joint Trans-Atlantic Fisheries Technology Conference TAFT 2003. pp. 27-29. June 10-14, Reykjavik, Iceland. Published by The Icelandic Fisheries Laboratories.
  • Kristinsson, H. G., Mony, S. and Mullersman, E. 2002. The effect of carbon monoxide on the structural stability of tilapia hemoglobin. Proceedings of the 6th Joint meeting of the Seafood Science and Technology Society of the Americas and the Atlantic Fisheries Technology Society. Meeting on; Advancing Seafood Technology for Harvested and Cultured Products. October 9-11, 2002, Orlando, FL.
  • Mantilla, D., Kristinsson, H. G., Balaban, M. O., Otwell, W. S., and Chapman, F. A. 2006. Effect of conventional gas treatment and euthanasia of tilapia with carbon monoxide on muscle color, heme proteins, and carbon monoxide binding. IFT Annual Meeting, July 24-28, Orlando, FL. Abstract 039A-18.
  • Kristinsson, H. G., Ludlow, N., Balaban, M. O., Otwell, W. S. and Welt, B. A. 2006. Muscle Quality of Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares) Steaks After Treatment with Carbon Monoxide Gases and Filtered Wood Smoke. J. Aquat. Food Prod. Technol. 15, 49-69.
  • Otwell, W. S., Kristinsson, H. G., Balaban. 2006. Modified atmospheric processing and packaging of fish: filtered Smokes, carbon monoxide and reduced oxygen Packaging. Ames, IA: Blackwell Publishing. pp. 264.
  • Otwell, W. S. 2006. Use of Filtered Smokes and Carbon Monoxide in Fish Processing. In: Otwell WS, Kristinsson HG, Balaban MO, editors. Modified atmospheric processing and packaging of fish: filtered Smokes, carbon monoxide and reduced oxygen Packaging. Ames, IA: Blackwell Publishing. pp. 1-14.
  • Kristinsson H. G., Balaban M. O., Otwell W. S. 2006. The Influence of Carbon Monoxide and Filtered Wood Smoke on Fish Muscle Color. In: Otwell WS, Kristinsson HG, Balaban MO, editors. Modified atmospheric processing and packaging of fish: filtered Smokes, carbon monoxide and reduced oxygen Packaging. Ames, IA: Blackwell Publishing. pp. 29-49.
  • Davenport. M. P., Davenport, P. W., Kristinsson, H. G., Otwell, W. S. 2006. Human Absorption of Carbon Monoxide with Consumption of CO-Exposed Tuna. In: Otwell WS, Kristinsson HG, Balaban MO, editors. Modified atmospheric processing and packaging of fish: filtered Smokes, carbon monoxide and reduced oxygen Packaging. Ames, IA: Blackwell Publishing. pp. 50-64.
  • Kristinsson H. G., Balaban M. O., Otwell W. S. 2006. Microbial and quality consequences of aquatic foods treated with carbon monoxide and filtered wood smoke. In: Otwell WS, Kristinsson HG, Balaban MO, editors. Modified atmospheric processing and packaging of fish: filtered Smokes, carbon monoxide and reduced oxygen Packaging. Ames, IA: Blackwell Publishing. pp. 65-86.
  • Balaban, M. O., Kristinsson, H. G., Welt, B. A. 2006. Color Enhancement and Potential Fraud in Using CO. In: Otwell WS, Kristinsson HG, Balaban MO, editors. Modified atmospheric processing and packaging of fish: filtered Smokes, carbon monoxide and reduced oxygen Packaging. Ames, IA: Blackwell Publishing. pp. 101-119.
  • Kristinsson, H. G., Petty, H. T. and Mony, S. 2005. Properties of tilapia carboxy- and oxyhemoglobin at post mortem pH. J. Agric. Food Chem. 53, 3643-3649.
  • Kristinsson, H. G., Crynen, S. and Yavuz Y. 2006. Effect of filtered wood smoke treatment compared to various gas treatments on aerobic bacteria in yellowfin tuna steaks. Lebensmittel-Wissenschaft und-Technologie (Food Science and Technology). Submitted (in review).
  • Kristinsson, H. G., Ludlow, N. and Siriporn, P. 2006. Effect of filtered wood smoke treatment on chemical and microbial changes in mahi mahi fillets. J. Food Sci. In Press.
  • Kristinsson, H. G., Mony, S. S. J., and Aldaous, S. A. 2006. Comparative properties of carboxy-, oxy- and met-hemoglobin from tilapiaSecond Joint Trans-Atlantic Fisheries Technology Conference TAFT 2006. October 29-November 1, Quebec, Canada.
  • Huo, L. and Kristinsson, H. G. 2006. Validation of a rapid method to determine carbon monoxide treatment of fish muscle based on heme protein spectral characteristics. IFT Annual Meeting, July 24-28, Orlando, FL. Abstract 039A-15.
  • Mantilla, D., Kristinsson, H. G., Otwell, W. S., Balaban, M. O. and Chapman, F. A. 2005. Euthanasia of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) using carbon monoxide for red color stabilization. IFT Annual Meeting, July 15-20, New Orleans, LA. Abstract 89A-37
  • Huo, L. and Kristinsson, H. G. 2005. Rapid detection of carbon monoxide treated seafood products based on spectral properties of heme proteins. IFT Annual Meeting, July 15-20, New Orleans, LA. Abstract 89A-35
  • Mantilla, D. 2005. Euthanasia of tilapia using carbon monoxide for color fixation and color stabilization. MS. Thesis. University of Florida.
  • Danyali, N. 2004. The effect of carbon monoxide and filtered smoke on quality and safety of yellowfin tuna. MS. Thesis. University of Florida.
  • Garner, K. 2004. Effects of carbon monoxide on muscle quality of Spanish mackerel. MS. Thesis. University of Florida.
  • Mony, S. and Kristinsson, H. G. 2004. Thermal denaturation and oxidative stability of carboxy-, oxy- and met-hemoglobin from tilapia. IFT Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, NV, July 12-16, 2004, Abstract 17E-17.
  • Ludlow, N., Kristinsson, H. G., Balaban, M. O., Otwell, W. S. and Welt, B. 2004. Effect of different carbon monoxide and filtered smoke treatments on the quality and safety of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) muscle. IFT Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, NV, July 12-16, 2004, Abstract 49B-26.
  • Garner, K. and Kristinsson, H. G. 2004. Quality of Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorous maculatus) muscle as affected by carbon monoxide and filtered smoke gas treatment. IFT Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, NV, July 12-16, 2004, Abstract 49B-12.
  • Demir, N., Kristinsson, H. G. and Balaban, M. O. 2004. Quality changes in mahi mahi (Coryphaena hippurus) fillets treated by different carbon monoxide concentrations and filtered smoke as assessed by color machine vision and lipid oxidation. IFT Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, NV, July 12-16, 2004, Abstract 63-8.
  • Kristinsson, H. G., Ludlow, N., Demir, N., Garner, K., Otwell, S. W., Balaban, M, O., and Welt, B. A. 2003. The effect of various carbon monoxide and filtered smoke treatments on the quality and safety of aquatic foods. Annual Meeting of the Seafood Science and Technology Society of the Americas. November 3-6, 2003, Biloxi, MS
  • Kristinsson, H. G., Mony, S., and Garner, K. S. 2003. The effect of carbon monoxide on autoxidation, peroxidase and pro-oxidative activity of hemoglobin from tilapia. IFT Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, Abstract 42-5, 2003.
  • Mony, S., Petty, H. T., Mullersman, E. and Kristinsson, H. G. 2003. The conformational stability of CO-hemoglobin compared to oxy- and met-hemoglobin from tilapia. IFT Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, Abstract 60B-17, 2003.


Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/05

Outputs
(1) We have further developed rapid test methods to determine if products have been treated with carbon monoxide (CO). The different rapid test methods we have developed this year involve (a) spectroscopic analysis of heme protein-CO complexes in fish extracts, (b) rapid redox chemistry reactions involving reactions of CO with metals leading to distinct color reactions, and (c) rapid and accurate quantification of CO using gas chromatography. All methods are still being further refined and validated on both model and real fish muscle systems (commercially treated and treated in the lab under controlled conditions). (2) We have made significant headway in developing a sensitive method to differentiate if products have been treated with industrial CO or various filtered wood smokes (FS) containing carbon monoxide. This method is based on analyzing volatile compounds found only in FS which partition into the fish muscle on treatment. We are now analyzing the chemical makeup of the FS and studying which specific compounds are analyzed with our new method, as well as determining the threshold of detection. This method is being developed and validated on both model and real fish systems (commercially treated and treated in the lab under controlled conditions). (3) More detailed work has been conducted on the safety and quality effects of treating seafoods with CO and FS. Detailed investigations were conducted on the effect of different CO treatments and FS on color, microbial growth and histamine formation in tuna and mahi mahi. Our work shows that there is a time dependent effect of treatment on all the above factors. Both high CO treatment and FS significantly influences red color, while industrial CO stabilizes the red color beyond spoilage. Longer treatment times lead to more microbial reduction and more suppression of microbial growth after product is removed from the gas environment. Histamine formation was also suppressed in certain treatments, which was linked to suppression of histamine forming bacteria. Our studies indicate that FS leads to more microbial reduction on treatment, and growth suppression beyond treatment, than industrial CO. Our studies suggest this is due to the presence of carbon dioxide, reduced oxygen as well as the presence of certain smoke compounds which may have an antimicrobial effect. The FS tested also led to less histamine formation under thermal abuse conditions compared to untreated tuna and tuna treated with industrial CO. (4) A comprehensive international conference was organized with the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) on the use of CO and FS on seafoods, Feb 1-3 (2005) in Orlando, titled Modified Atmospheric Processing and Packaging of Fish: Filtered Smokes, Carbon Monoxide and Reduced Oxygen Packaging. A group of word experts on the topic from academia, government and industry presented, and the conference was very well attended and highly successful. This conference significantly advanced our current knowledge on this new topic. The outcome of this conference was a comprehensive book on the subject, the first of its kind on CO and FS, and it is anticipated to be published in spring 2006.

Impacts
The information generated on the effect of carbon monoxide and filtered smoke processing both on the molecular and applied level has contributed very important knowledge on how these processes may affect quality and safety of different seafood species. This information is expected to play an important role in establishing guidance on how to properly use these new processing technologies and to what extent they can be used. Furthermore our recent developments in CO and FS detection technologies are likely to be important tools to regulate these products on the market.

Publications

  • Kristinsson, H. G., Ludlow, N., Balaban, M. O., Otwell, W. S., Welt, B. A. 2005. Muscle quality of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) steaks after treatment with carbon monoxide gases and filtered wood smoke. J. Aquat. Food Prod. Technol. (Accepted)
  • Kristinsson, H. G., Balaban, M. O. and Otwell, W. S. 2005. Microbial and quality consequences of aquatic foods treated with carbon monoxide and filtered wood smoke. In: Modified Atmospheric Processing and Packaging of Fish: Filtered Smokes, Carbon Monoxide and Reduced Oxygen Packaging. Blackwell Publishing, Ames, IA. (In Press)
  • Balaban, M. O., Kristinsson, H. G. and Welt, B.A. 2005. Addressing product enhancement and potential fraud of seafood products treated with carbon monoxide and filtered smoke. In: Modified Atmospheric Processing and Packaging of Fish: Filtered Smokes, Carbon Monoxide and Reduced Oxygen Packaging. Blackwell Publishing, Ames, IA. (In Press)
  • Kristinsson, H. G., Balaban, M. O. and Otwell, W.S. 2005. The influence of carbon monoxide and filtered wood smoke on fish muscle color. In: Modified Atmospheric Processing and Packaging of Fish: Filtered Smokes, Carbon Monoxide and Reduced Oxygen Packaging. Blackwell Publishing, Ames, IA. (In Press)
  • Davenport, M. P., Davenport, P., Kristinsson, H. G. and Otwell, W.S. 2005. Food safety during consumption. In: Modified Atmospheric Processing and Packaging of Fish: Filtered Smokes, Carbon Monoxide and Reduced Oxygen Packaging. Blackwell Publishing, Ames, IA. (In Press)
  • Mantilla, D., Kristinsson, H. G., Otwell, W. S., Balaban, M. O. and Chapman, F. A. 2005. Euthanasia of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) using carbon monoxide for red color stabilization. IFT Annual Meeting, July 15-20, New Orleans, LA. Abstract 89A-37
  • Huo, L. and Kristinsson, H. G. 2005. Rapid detection of carbon monoxide treated seafood products based on spectral properties of heme proteins. IFT Annual Meeting, July 15-20, New Orleans, LA. Abstract 89A-35
  • Mantilla, D. 2005. Euthanasia of tilapia using carbon monoxide for color fixation and color stabilization. MS. Thesis. University of Florida.
  • Danyali, N. 2004. The effect of carbon monoxide and filtered smoke on quality and safety of yellowfin tuna. MS. Thesis. University of Florida.
  • Mony, S. and Kristinsson, H. G. 2004. Thermal denaturation and oxidative stability of carboxy-, oxy- and met-hemoglobin from tilapia. IFT Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, NV, July 12-16, 2004, Abstract 17E-17.
  • Ludlow, N., Kristinsson, H. G., Balaban, M. O., Otwell, W. S. and Welt, B. 2004. Effect of different carbon monoxide and filtered smoke treatments on the quality and safety of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) muscle. IFT Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, NV, July 12-16, 2004, Abstract 49B-26. Garner, K. and Kristinsson, H. G. 2004. Quality of Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorous maculatus) muscle as affected by carbon monoxide and filtered smoke gas treatment. IFT Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, NV, July 12-16, 2004, Abstract 49B-12.
  • Kristinsson, H. G., Petty, H. T. and Mony, S. 2005. Properties of tilapia carboxy- and oxyhemoglobin at post mortem pH. J. Agric. Food Chem. 53, 3643-3649.
  • Demir, N., Kristinsson, H. G. and Balaban, M. O. 2004. Quality changes in mahi mahi (Coryphaena hippurus) fillets treated by different carbon monoxide concentrations and filtered smoke as assessed by color machine vision and lipid oxidation. IFT Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, NV, July 12-16, 2004, Abstract 63-8.


Progress 10/01/02 to 10/01/03

Outputs
1. The effect of carbon monoxide on fish heme proteins has been investigated to better understand its effect on muscle color and quality. Carbon monoxide was found to have a profound effect on the conformation and stability of fish heme proteins when compared to heme proteins bound to oxygen or in oxidized (brown) state. We have characterized by a variety of different protein chemistry methods how heme proteins are stabilized by CO in terms of: a) denaturation to various denaturants, b) autoxidation, c) freeze induced insolubilization and d) peroxidative and pro-oxidative activity. These molecular studies are being expanded. The results have given important insight into the effect of CO and filtered smoke (FS) processing on fish muscle. 2. We have evaluated the use of different CO and FS processing methods on the quality and safety of different fish species. Different techniques led to major differences in a) color and color stability, b) heme protein state and c) lipid oxidation. Microbial load is lessened by this process and microbial growth is supressed after treatment, thus proloning the shelf life of the fish muscle. Histamine formation in scombroid species was however not greatly affected by CO. Our studies showed that elevated levels of histamine can form while color is still acceptable. Due to these important findings more detailed studies are being conducted on the effect of CO and FS on histamine production. Filtered smoke was found not to lead to better quality or to a safer product according to carbon monoxide gas. These studies are expected to have a significant impact on the development and future use of this technology. 3. Thermal abuse studies were performed on products treated with CO and FS and different quality and safety parameters evaluated. The main finding was that elevated histamine levels developed while product still appeared acceptable. More studies are in progress to determine 4. A rapid CO-detection procedure was developed where we are able to identify whether a sample was treated with CO or not. This rapid method may have significance for the regulatory authorities monitoring the use and sale of CO/Filtered smoke processed seafoods. The method continues to be refined. 5. A steering committee on the use of carbon monoxide and filtered smoke was developed, and includes representatives from government, academia and industry. The stage was set for a comprehensive international conference on this topic in 2005. This is an important step in coordinating research in this area as well as developing regulatory guidance for this processing.

Impacts
The information generated on the effect of carbon monoxide and filtered smoke processing both on the molecular and applied level has contributed very important knowledge on how these processes may affect quality and safety of different seafood species. This information is expected to play an important role in establishing guidance on how to properly use these new processing technologies and to what extent they can be used.

Publications

  • Kristinsson, H. G., Mony, S. and Mullersman, E. The effect of carbon monoxide on the structural stability of tilapia hemoglobin. Proceedings of the 6th Joint meeting of the Seafood Science and Technology Society of the Americas and the Atlantic Fisheries Technology Society. Meeting on; Advancing Seafood Technology for Harvested and Cultured Products. October 9-11, 2002, Orlando, FL.
  • Otwell, S. W. Kristinsson, H. G., and Balaban, M, O. 2003. Use of carbon monoxide for the color retention in fish. In: Proceedings of the First Joint Trans-Atlantic Fisheries Technology Conference TAFT 2003, pp. 24-26. June 10-14, Reykjavik, Iceland. Published by The Icelandic Fisheries Laboratories.
  • Kristinsson, H. G., Mony, S., Demir, N., Balaban, M, O., and Otwell, S. W. The effect of carbon monoxide and filtered smoke on the properties of aquatic muscle and selected muscle components. In: Proceedings of the First Joint Trans-Atlantic Fisheries Technology Conference TAFT 2003. pp. 27-29. June 10-14, Reykjavik, Iceland. Published by The Icelandic Fisheries Laboratories.
  • Garner, K. 2003. The effects of carbon monoxide on the muscle quality of Spanish mackerel. M.S. thesis. University of Florida.