5th Week

Codex Alimentarius - General Principles of Food Hygiene

I reviewed the Codex Alimentarius – General Principles of Food Hygiene, which outlines the foundational requirements for ensuring food safety and quality across the supply chain. This document emphasizes the implementation of Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and provides structured guidance on the application of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system. The Codex guidelines serve as an internationally recognized framework for preventing food safety hazards, ensuring hygienic handling of food, and supporting regulatory compliance in both domestic and export markets. 

Food Act No. 26  of 1980 

Food (Fish and Fish Products) Regulations - 2020

The Food Act No. 26 of 1980 is a key legal frameworks governing the safety and quality of fish and fishery products in Sri Lanka. These regulations cover various aspects including the microbiological limits, permissible levels of heavy metals (such as mercury and cadmium), toxin levels (ex: histamine), non-permitted constituents, and approved food additives for different types of fish products. Understanding these legal requirements is essential for ensuring that products comply with national standards and are safe for both local consumption and international export. 

Chill Bath for Parasite Removal

As part of the export process for swordfish, a chill water bath treatment is used as a critical control step for parasite removal. After the fish is filleted and vacuum-packed, the packages are immersed in chilled water (<3 °C) for approximately 20 minutes. This process aids in making any parasites visible to the naked eye. During inspection, if parasites are detected, the affected fillets are immediately rejected and removed from the production line to prevent contamination. This step ensures compliance with export quality standards and reinforces the commitment to delivering safe, high-quality seafood to international markets. 

Temperature Record of Water in Chill Bath

As part of the quality assurance procedure, I was instructed to record the temperature of the chill water bath used for immersing vacuum-packed swordfish fillets. The chill bath is prepared 15 minutes prior to the start of fish processing, and it is critical that the water temperature remains below 3 °C to ensure the effectiveness of parasite detection. Temperature measurements are taken every 30 minutes throughout each swordfish processing session and documented accordingly. This monitoring step is essential to maintain product safety and ensure compliance with export standards. 

Visit in Local Market Fish Production Plant

I visited the local market fish processing plant, which operates separately from the export facility and focuses on supplying products to the domestic market. A wide variety of fish species are processed here, including tuna, sailfish, anchovy, lobster, shrimp, octopus, crabs, mahi mahi and sardine. The plant caters to several prominent clients in Sri Lanka, such as Sri Lankan Catering, Popeyes, Shangri-La and Cinnamon Grand hotels. This visit provided valuable insights into the operational differences between export and local market processing, customer-specific requirements, and the adaptability of production practices based on end-user needs. 

Pest Management

I familiarized with the pest management practices followed at Lihini Seafoods (Pvt) Ltd. The common pests were insects (ex: flies, cockroaches), rodents (ex: rats), birds (ex: crows, storks),  and other animals (ex: cats, dogs).  Chemical and physical procedures are employed for control those pests. 

Chemical methods 

• Fogging for moths

• Rodent treatment

Physical methods 

• Fly killers

• Bait box

• Glue sticks

Action Pest is the pest control service that has been contracted to give a monthly service as detailed in their contract which covers the treated pests and treatment areas. A record is kept showing details of all inspections follow up actions for company.  

• Bait map - displays the areas of treatment for rats and mice

• Spray map - details the areas of spray for cockroaches and household ant

• Fly killer unit display map - describes the areas of fly killer placement

Task - Trace Back a Shipment 

On this day, I gained practical experience in the traceability system implemented by the Quality Department. I was familiarized with the documentation process and the filing system used to organize records. Under guidance, I was assigned to trace back a specific shipment, starting from its processing stage through to dispatch. To facilitate this task, I was provided with a traceability checklist, which listed all the required documents such as production records, packaging details, temperature logs, labelling records, and dispatch notes that needed to be gathered and reviewed. This activity enhanced my understanding of the importance of traceability in ensuring food safety, regulatory compliance, and accountability in the event of any product-related issue.