Assessment of food quality and microbial safety of brown macroalgae (Alaria esculenta and Saccharina latissima).

Background: There has been a rapid increase in the number of seaweed farms in the Western world, and it is crucial for these companies and their customers to have standardized methods for quality assessment and optimization. The aim of this study was to adapt known methods for food-quality determination for the analysis of seaweed quality, including color, texture, and microbiology, and to discuss optimal heat treatments for the popular macroalgae Saccharina latissima and Alaria esculenta.

Results: The development of an attractive, green color during heating was highly specific to species, freezing history, and part of the thallus.

A comparative study of quality and safety of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) fillets during cold storage, as affected by different thawing methods of pre-rigor frozen headed and gutted fish.

Background: The catch of marine whitefish is typically seasonal, whereas the land-based processing industry has a need for all-year stable supply of raw materials. This challenge can be met by applying fish frozen at sea. When using frozen fish, the methods employed for thawing may influence the safety and quality of the final product.

An Outbreak of Norovirus Infection from Shellfish Soup Due to Unforeseen Insufficient Heating During Preparation.

Norovirus causes large outbreaks involving all age groups and are considered the most common cause of infectious foodborne diseases worldwide. The aim of this study was to describe a norovirus outbreak connected to insufficient heat treatment during preparation of a shellfish soup in serving portions, during a company Christmas celebration in Norway, December 2013. A questionnaire sent to the employees, showed that 67 % (n = 43) of the celebration participants, reported gastrointestinal symptoms including stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhoea and light fever in the period between 24 and 48 h post celebration.

Microbiological assessment along the fish production chain of the Norwegian pelagic fisheries sector--Results from a spot sampling programme.

Microbes play an important role in the degradation of fish products, thus better knowledge of the microbiological conditions throughout the fish production chain may help to optimise product quality and resource utilisation. This paper presents the results of a ten-year spot sampling programme (2005-2014) of the commercially most important pelagic fish species harvested in Norway. Fish-, surface-, and storage water samples were collected from fishing vessels and processing factories.