Tuna Processing for Export Market

Receiving at the factory
          Receiving area is where the fish was selected to export. There are three criterion for selecting the fish.
1. Organoleptic checks
2. Laboratory testing
3. Temperature checking



Organoleptic Checks
          Six (06) parameters were checked under organoleptic checks. Those are as follows,
a. Nature of the eyes
b. Nature of the skin
c. Nature of the skin mucus
d. Gill color
e. Gill and Flesh smell
f. Flesh color
If even one parameter was out of the acceptable level, the fish was rejected.



Laboratory Testing
          Histamine level was checked for each individual fish, since Histamine is a hazardous chemical which can be  "CRITICAL" to the end user's health. Acceptable Histamine level of Tuna for European Union 100ppm. If any fish exceeds this limit of 100 ppm, it was rejected. in order to overcome this Histamine risk, Sri Lankan tuna processor's have reduce their Histamine control level up to 5ppm for composite samples and 10 ppm for individual samples (these control levels may differ with the processor).


Temperature Checking

          Body temperature of the receiving fish should be below 4ºC. If any fish which exceeds this temperature limit, was rejected.

Raw Material Store (or Temporary Store)

          After receiving, selected wish was stacked in fiber bins with flake ice with Ice and Fish, 1:1 ratio. And was then transferred to the "RAW MATERIAL STORE". Room temperature maintained at -5ºC

Production
          Production line was arranged as a direct line flow in order to prevent "Cross Contamination". Production flow begins with initial washing step. And then follows the De-heading.

De-headed fish then cut in to four (04) loins (LOINING)

Separated loins then "Skinned"

Final shaping of fish loins were done on "Trimming" tables. Here, the loins were trimmed to remove bone parts, black meat and flesh damages. And finally cut according to the customers specifications.

Labling and Vacuum Packing
          Trimmed fillets were individually labeled according to it's original fish number. These labels provide enough information to trace back up to the boat and the landing site.

 Labeled fillets were sent to the Vacuum machine.

Packing and Dispatch
          After vacuuming, the fillets were stacked in to plastic mesh crates according to final packing weights. i.e. 15kg boxes, 30kg boxes, etc . . .

 Vacuum packed fillets

 Those mesh crates were transferred to packing area. At the packing area those fillets were packed in to the Styrofoam boxes with "JEL ICE".

Packed fish boxes were stored in "Fresh Finished Store" to transport to the Air Port

Then dispatch via Loading Bay

Boxes packed in Reefer Truck