ARTICLE

The importance of

selecting the right partner for your transportation needs

By: MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company *

As lockdowns and quarantine measures significantly disrupted seafood trade flows around the world, carriers faced a number of logistical difficulties, particularly in relation to border restrictions. The key requirements for companies shipping seafood revolve around the assurance of fast transit times, reliable services, equipment availability, and on-time tracking

The past year has taken to the fore the key centrality of trade and the global shipping sector, as companies like MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company never stopped servicing global markets amid the very difficult conditions imposed by the pandemic on supply chains around the world.

The Covid-19-related protective measures instituted in March across the United States contributed to an almost-immediate impact on seafood sector sales: restaurants and other food-service establishments typically account for about two-thirds of the sales of fresh seafood in the country, but the sudden halt in the restaurant business affected the entire seafood distribution network, with retail sales considerably higher than usual over the course of the second half of the year. Disruptions in international trade

With international markets negatively affected by disruptions in harvesting and processing, fresh product exports experienced steeper declines when compared to frozen product exports.

“Fish and fish products that are highly dependent on international trade suffered quite early in the pandemic due to the many restrictions and closures of global markets,

whereas fresh fish and shellfish supply chains were severely impacted by the closure of the food service sectors,” says Pietro Pinto, Nationwide Reefer Sales Director at MSC USA. “The very same protective measures that halted production in restaurants also impacted charter fishing operations, which shut down in most coastal states in the U.S. beginning in mid-March.”

As lockdowns and quarantine measures significantly disrupted seafood trade flows around the world, carriers faced a number of logistical difficulties, particularly in relation to border restrictions.

The global accelerating demand for refrigerated cargo

In the context of unparalleled disruptions affecting all the major stakeholders in the international supply chain and generating a slowdown in the entire container transport system, demand for temperature-sensitive products continued to accelerate. The volume of refrigerated cargo (commonly called reefers) expanded 3.4 per cent in 2019 to 5.3 million Forty-foot Equivalent Unit (FEU) and, according to maritime research consultancy Drewry, the volume is set to continue, approaching 5% in the period to 2024.

To meet the greater demand for cold-chain delivery, MSC expanded its shipments of refrigerated containers, and just last year alone, it transported more than 1.9 million reefer containers.

Serving the Pacific North West out of the ports of Seattle and Tacoma, as well as the North East via Boston and New York, MSC helps U.S. customers shipping seafood reach all the main markets worldwide, among them West Africa, the Middle East, the European Union and the Far East.

“MSC has one of the world’s most advanced reefer container fleets and has developed industry-leading teams of reefer experts across our agencies worldwide. Our dedicated teams of over 1,000 reefer experts, available 24/7 across the world, are continuously trained to meet the growing reefer market demands and to ensure our customers’ cargo is in safe hands at every stage of its journey,” says Pinto. “We guarantee regular and frequent monitoring of the shipment, from the receipt of the loaded container to its final destination. With outstanding global coverage, a presence in more than 155 countries, calling more than 500 ports, MSC offers end-to-end weekly services to destinations all around the world.”

The power of a great partnership

The key requirements for companies shipping seafood revolve around the

assurance of fast transit times, reliable services, equipment availability, and on-time tracking.

Amid an unprecedented demand that led to a shortage of containers worldwide, MSC has been able to count on worldwide service and reefer experts and operations teams dedicated to helping with the repositioning and the overall management of the fleet, offering the support of a solid transportation partner.

“Throughout the most pressing of times over the past year, our teams were able to promptly add vessels to aid keeping our weekly calls consistent, studying different routing solutions to help customers with their supply chain,” says Mr. Pinto. “Equipment availability that is in optimum condition is a key requirement for our customers, and our reefer teams are extremely experienced in handling seafood, providing the best support for customers even in the most pressing of times.” End-to-end reefer shipping services

Over the past 50 years, MSC has gone “the extra mile” by expanding its services beyond ports. By developing an integrating road, rail, and barge network across the world, the company offers door-to-door transport solutions, even to the most remote areas.

At depots, reefer experts carry out a thorough inspection of the container in preparation for loading to ensure the cargo meets the relevant regulatory requirements and retains its sale value at destination.

While containers are in transit over land, MSC can provide Genset portable diesel generators to keep containers operating at the required temperature.

Looking ahead

As American consumers continue seeking healthier, protein-dense foodstuffs, the purchase of seafood and plant-based foods is constantly on the rise. The Covid-19 pandemic has fuelled consumers’ desire to eat healthy, immune-boosting foods, and seafood’s strong linkage to omega3s is likely to continue to propel the growing consumption of seafood beyond 2021.

“At MSC, we’re constantly monitoring these changes. The increased demand is only one factor in the mix. Another important aspect is the danger of rising ocean temperatures and their resulting effects, with some of the sea life migrating into new territories with cooler waters, usually further north. This is something we’re closely monitoring at MSC as it requires a constant reevaluation and reassessment of our services and trade routes,” commented Pinto.

Visit msc.com to find out more about how MSC’s services and expertise can help your company to keep its goods moving.

Shelf life of fresh fillets

from eviscerated farmed tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) handled at different pre-filleting times

By: Edgar Iván Jiménez-Ruiz, Alfonso Nivardo Maeda-Martínez, Víctor Manuel Ocaño-Higuera, María Teresa SumayaMartínez, Leticia Mónica Sánchez-Herrera, Oscar Alexandro Fregoso-Aguirre, Jesús Ernesto Rincones-López y Yolotzin Apatzingán Palomino-Hermosillo *

Knowledge about shelf life of fresh fillets of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) stored at 0°C is limited. Pre-filleting time needed for in situ evisceration, bulking, and transport to the processing plant has not been studied. In this work, Mexican researchers determined the effect of several pre-filleting times (from 8 to 72 hr.) of eviscerated chilled tilapia, on the quality and shelf life of fillets during 19-day storage at 0°C.

Premium-quality fresh fillets of tilapia averages 25,000 ton/year in the U.S. market. This product is imported from Honduras, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Colombia. Bulking is required to optimize transport costs, so shelf life is a key factor. Knowledge about shelf life of fresh fillets of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) stored at 0°C is limited. Pre-filleting time needed for in situ evisceration, bulking, and transport to the processing plant has not been studied. In this work, we determined the effect of several pre-filleting times (from 8 to 72 hr.) of eviscerated chilled tilapia, on the quality and shelf life of fillets during 19-day storage at 0°C.

The state of freshness can be described by defined attributes of the fish, which can be quantified by various indicators. In this work, nonsensory methods (instrumentals) were employed including physical (color and texture), chemical (pH), biochemical (Total Volatile Basic Nitrogen TVB-N and K value), and microbiological parameters. Adenylate Energy Charge (AEC) of live fish was

calculated at harvest to determine the stress condition at the beginning of the experiments.

Materials and method Experimental design

Adult tilapia (O. niloticus) (880 ± 140 g) cultivated in floating cages in Michoacán, Mexico, were harvested and transferred to ice water. Fish were eviscerated, placed in crushed ice, and transported to the laboratory in Nayarit, Mexico. Prior to evisceration, the stress status of the fish was determined by AEC analyses. The experimental procedure was as follows:

Twenty-one eviscerated fish were filleted upon arrival (8 hours from harvest site) and three fillets were used for color, texture, pH, and microbiological analyses. For the determination of TVB-N and K values, fillets were frozen in liquid nitrogen and kept at −80°C until analyzed. Another three groups of 24 fish were filleted at 24, 48, and 72 hours after the harvest. Samplings were repeated at days 5, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, and 19.

Physical assessment

Color assessment of the inner side of each fillet was determined (n = 6) by tristimulus colourimetry. Texture of fillets (n = 6) was assessed with a nonpenetration tests (a fruit hardness tester equipped with a 1-cm cylindrical probe in diameter), and for penetration technique, a penetrometer equipped with a puncture probe of 1.9 cm at the base and 2.5 cm in height was used. Results were reported in kgf units.

Biochemical properties

pH of fillets was determined by triplicate as well as Total Volatile Basic Nitrogen (TVB-N).

AEC and K value

AEC and initial K value of recently harvested fish were calculated by triplicate from adenosine 5′triphosphate (ATP), adenosine 5′diphosphate (ADP), adenosine 5′monophosphate (AMP), inosine 5′monophosphate (IMP), inosine (HxR), and hypoxanthine (Hx) determinations by highperformance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

Microbiological analyses

Total mesophilic colony-forming units (CFgU) in the fillets were determined (n = 3) by total plate count according to the method indicated in the Mexican regulation NOM-092SSA1-1994.

Results and discussion Physical assessment

Mean values of color parameters place fillets in the red-yellow zone of the color sphere. Values of all parameters did not show significant changes (p > .05) during 19-day storage period, at the four prefilleting time treatments. This probably indicates that

Texture values with penetration (a) and without penetration (b) of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fresh fillets during 19-day storage at four pre-filleting times. Values are the mean ± standard deviation of the mean (n = 6).

there was no protein denaturation or water evaporation during processing. Initial texture values with or without penetration techniques at the four pre-filleting time treatments were 4.03 ± 0.18 and 9.02 ± 0.18 kgf, respectively (Figure 1). Texture remains without significant variations (p > .05) in the 8-hr. pre-filleting treatment during the first 11 days of storage, followed by a sudden drop at day 13 to 3.5 and 6.0 kgf. Texture in the other treatments showed a gradual decrease from day 5 to day 19 (p < .0.5) reaching mean values of 3.0 and 5.0 kgf at the end of the experiment with and without penetration, respectively. Regardless the loss in firmness, gaping of fillets was never observed. Gaping is a major textural quality defect, originating from the rupture of thin tubular sections in the myocommata. The mechanical strength of the connective tissue that holds the fillets together is strongly influenced by postmortem pH. The myocommata are strong at neutral pH but greatly weakened at more acid values such that fillets gape.

TVB-N values identify the latter stages of spoilage and, therefore, can be used as a standard method to determine if the fish is suitable for conventional markets. The European Commission defines the limit between 25 and 35 mg/100 g depending on the species of fish.

Biochemical properties

A good marker to be considered for shelf-life follow-up of fishing products is pH, if it is simultaneously used with other parameters. Figure 2 shows that the initial value at the 8h treatment was within the interval of 6.7–7.0 reported for fishery products recently caught. After 2 days, pH dropped to ~ 6.3, probably because of rigor mortis. Subsequently, pH remained without significant change (p > .05) at 6.41 pH during 15 of storage at 8 hr. pre-filleting treatment. In all treatments a gradual but significant (p < .05) increase on pH resulted. A “very fresh” and excellent quality fish has a pH value equal or lower than 6.7; pH of 6.7–6.9 is of inferior quality but acceptable, and pH of 6.9 or greater is considered “not fresh”, contaminated, or deteriorated product. Therefore, fresh fillets at 8 hr. pre-filleting treatment have a shelf life of 15 days, and 13 days for 24 and 48 hr. pre-filleting treatments. Longer pre-filleting times will have a reduced shelf life of 9 days.

The bases formed during fishery product storage are a series of alkaline compounds product of nucleotide and amino acid degradation in

Results of physical, chemical, biochemical, and microbiological indicators suggest that shelf life of fresh tilapia fillets stored on ice is affected by the pre-filleting time. The longer the pre-filleting time the shorter the shelf life.

pH variations in tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fresh fillets during 19-day storage at four pre-filleting times. Values are the mean ± standard deviation of the mean (n = 3).

the muscle due to autolytic activity and mainly bacterial action, which are also related to muscular pH increase. Mean initial values for TVB-N concentrations at the four pre-filleting treatments were from 16.70 ± 0.69 to 18.39 ± 0.80 mg/100 g, which fall within range 5–20 mg/100 g for fresh or recently caught fishery products. TVB-N values in the 8h pre-filleting treatment did not show significant changes during the whole storage period (p > .05). However, TVB-N values of treatments 24 and 48 hr. showed a significant increase (p < .05) starting from day 13, and earlier (day 11) for the 72-hr. treatment. The increments agreed with variations in pH values. After this increase, the values remained without significant changes (p > .05) until the end of the storage period. These increases may be due to the degradation of nitrogen-containing compounds, such as proteins, to various amines.

TVB-N values identify the latter stages of spoilage and, therefore, can be used as a standard method to determine if the fish is suitable for conventional markets. The European Commission defines the limit between 25 and 35 mg/100 g depending on the species of fish. In this study, the highest values recorded at the end of the experiment were 20.64 ± 0.48 and 20.39 ± 0.41 mg/100 g in treatments 48 and 72 hr., respectively.

Adenylate energy charge (AEC) and K value

The mean value of AEC of recently harvested fish was 0.57 ± 0.06. This value indicates that the fish were moderately stressed; values of 0.8–1.0 indicate physiologically healthy organisms; 0.5–0.7 for moderately stressed, and d <0.5 for those with severe stress. This value was expected, considering the stress produced during harvest, chilling, and evisceration.

K value is considered a good indicator in assessing freshness and

quality of fishery products, and correlates well with storage time. Fishery products are “very fresh” with K values < 20%; moderately fresh < 50%; and “not fresh” or not recommended for consumption with K values > 70%. We obtained a K value of 3.47% ± 0.08%, just after harvest and chilling in treatment 8 hr., but it gradually increased to 6.97 ± 1.56; 9.24 ± 1.95; and 13.63 ± 7.34 at the start of treatments 24, 48, and 72 hr. By day 5, fillets of treatment 8h were the only ones that remained of very fresh quality with a K value of 15.91 ± 1.89. In the other treatments 24, 48, and 72 hr., K values by day 5 were 27.02 ± 0.45, 32.30 ± 1.36, and 33.16 ± 4.241, respectively. The next category of moderately fresh with K values lower than 50% was reached at days, 15, 13, 9, and 9 in treatments 8, 24, 48, and 72 hr., respectively.

Total mesophilic bacteria count

The upper limit of mesophilic bacteria as suitable and innocuous for human consumption is 7.0 log10 CFU/g (International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods). However according to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and Good Commercial Practices (GCPs), the upper limit is 5.69 log10 CFU/g. Our initial values were in the range from 2.36 ± 0.30 to 3.80 ± 1.01 log10 CFU/g; the ICMSF limit of 7 log10 CFU/g was reached on day 17 for treatment 8 hr. pre-filleting time with mean value of 5.73 ± 0.16. This limit was reached on day 15 for the rest of the treatments at 24, 48, and 72 hr. with mean ± SD values of 6.34 ± 0.054, 6.89 ± 0.02, and 6.62 ± 0.06 CFU/g, respectively. GMP and GCP limit was reached on days 15, 13, and 11 at treatments 8 hr. (4.99 ± 0.36 CFU/g), 24 hr. (5.38 ± 0.13 CFU/g), 48 hr. (5.57 ± 0.33 CFU/g), and 72 hr. (5.44 ± 0.083 CFU/g), respectively.

Conclusions

Results of physical, chemical, biochemical, and microbiological indicators suggest that shelf life of fresh tilapia fillets stored on ice is affected by the pre-filleting time. The longer the pre-filleting time the shorter the shelf life. K value, pH, texture, and microbiological results suggest that tilapia fillets have a shelf life of 15, 13, 11, and 9 days at 8, 24, 48, and 72 hr. pre-filleting time; therefore, the fish must be filleted as soon as they are harvested if a long shelf life is desired. K value, pH, texture, and total plate counts are excellent indicators of freshness for tilapia fillets if used together.

* This is a summarized version developed by PhD. Carlos Rangel Dávalos, professor and researcher at the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences of the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur, of the article: “Shelf life of fresh fillets from eviscerated farmed tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus) handled at different pre-filleting times” by Edgar Iván Jiménez-Ruiz, Alfonso Nivardo Maeda-Martínez, Víctor Manuel Ocaño-Higuera, María Teresa Sumaya-Martínez, Leticia Mónica SánchezHerrera, Oscar Alexandro Fregoso-Aguirre, Jesús Ernesto Rincones-López and Yolotzin Apatzingán PalominoHermosillo. The article was originally published in May 2020 through Wiley’s Journal of Food Processing and Preservation. We encourage our readers to access and read the full version through: https://doi.org/10.1111/jfpp.14529