Study Guides - Introduction to fish and shellfish smoking

General Resources for this Study Guide:

Part 1: Industry led training courses

Smoking courses are delivered using the new AFOS Micro Kiln - at the Grimsby Seafood Village Training centre and elsewhere in the UK.  Seafish approved trainers are also available for independent consultancy support and are occasionally able to deliver courses oversea.   See this section for more information on smoking courses.

Courses consist of 1 day introductory, 2 day basic and a 5 day advanced practical course.

The training courses are available from Seafood Training Academy partners – dates to be announced, enquire here;

a.   Grimsby Seafood Village Training Centre;

b.   Food technology Centres in Wales - Llangefni and Horeb have access to a Micro smoking kiln on loan from Seafish. Please contact Seafish for more information.;

c.   Scottish Seafood Training Network (please contact Scottish Seafood Association)

Part 2: Food safety and health & safety

Free food safety learning programme here. Note - charges will apply if you wish to sit an exam to achieve a formal qualification.

Food safety training course information

Youtube - 5 videos on food safety

Model HACCP Plan

HACCP Chapter

H&S Open learning module - available from Seafish as a stand alone workbook or as part of a CIEH certificate programme. The accompanying H&S video programme is available here.

Part 3: Occupational Units of competence units covered by this guide

• • Principles of brining and salting fish or shellfish
  • Principles of fish or shellfish smoking
  • Understand how to control the fish or shellfish brining process
  • Understand how to control the dry curing of fish
  • Understand how to control the fish or shellfish smoking process

  These units are all available as part of an apprenticeship or vocational qualification in the Level 2 framework, with the 2 principles units also available in the Level 3 framework.   An advanced diploma is available for more experienced and older fish smokers.

Part 4: Learning Resources

1. PDF chapters from the open learning module Fish Smoking

• Limits and liabilities
• Introduction
• Segment 1 - Fish spoilage
• Segment 2 - Preservation action of salt and smoke
• Segment 3 - Raw material selection and preparation
• Segment 4 - The salting, brining and smoking processes
• Segment 5 - Smoking kilns
• Segment 6 - Product handling and packaging
• SAQ Answers

2. Seafish's smoking videos available on YouTube here

3. Seafish's free online Level 3 eLearning programme – seafood smoking by eLearning;

Learner workbook - available here Completing this workbook after undertaking a course will help you to absorb the new knowledge.

4. Resources for students on smoking courses - some duplicated links

5. Torry Advisory Notes :- please consult the following Torry Advisory Notes, which although developed many years ago they still contain much that is relevant to modern smoking practices.

TAN 5 - Recommendations for the Preparation of Smoked Salmon

TAN 13 - Processing Mussels, Cockles and Whelks (useful food safety information)

TAN 82 - Hot Smoking of Fish

TAN 14 Smoked Fish - Retailers

TAN 9 Smoked White Fish - Producers

6. Other resources: - Guide to HACCP including appendices on smoked oysters and mussels.

see this Raw Materials Intake training pack

Part 5: Quality Assessment

See this section on quality assessment training courses of 1 to 5 days duration.;

Seafish has five Youtube video programmes on quality assessment

Seafish's guide to Torry and QIM scoresheets - page 28 has a simple quality scheme for smoked fish.

Part 6: Technical Documents

Seafish Technical Report on the Cooling of Cooked and Smoked Fish in Retail Displays - Report of Laboratory Trials 1992

Ready To Eat Shelf Life Guidance - relevant to hot smoked products

Quick Determination of salt in smoked fish - for information until we have evaluated the efficacy of this method.

Fish smoking procedures - forced convection smokehouses

Seafish 2003 PAH Report

Labeling regulations - email regulation@seafish.co.uk for guidance

Listeria issues

Canadian Policy document - very useful and an interesting comparison with the information available from the FSA.

2002 Publication by the US National Fisheries Institute on Listeria

Lecture on Listeria

Listeria Factsheet - cold smoked products

Traceability and labeling - please consult this handy Seafish webpage