To promote the concept of quality in seafood processing and consumption, the stakeholders involved in processing seafood were apprised of different methods at a five-day training programme at Shore Laboratory Wing attached to the Fisheries College and Research Institute here on Friday. Isolation and identification of bacterial pathogens related to fish were the highlights of the programme.
At the valedictory session on ‘microbiological techniques in fish quality control' attended by technologists of various fish processing industries, V.K. Venkataramani, Dean, FCRI, said problems arising out of microbial quality have posed challenges to the technologists before exporting the seafood. Seafood export in India is fetching foreign exchange revenue to the tune of Rs. 12, 500 crore every year. Hence quality control measures needed to be adopted to meet the requirements of buyers from countries abroad. Since the export of seafood including chilled, frozen and ready-to-eat value-added products like retorted pouch processed fish curry and pasteurised crab meat is on the rise, utmost care should be taken to enhance the quality through various processing techniques. Not only for exports, but hygiene should be maintained until seafood reached the domestic consumers also.
“India is poised to increase its gross domestic product rate in agriculture, which comprises the fisheries sector also,” he said. G. Jeyasekaran and R. Jeya Shakila, Professors in Fish Processing Technology also spoke. Twelve technologists from eight processing units located in Tuticorin, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts participated. Certificates were given to the participants.
