Potential food safety hazards in fermented and salted fish in Egypt (Feseekh, Renga, Moloha) as case studies and controlling their manufacture using HACCP system

Abstract

AbstractThe consumption of raw fish has significantly increased worldwide over the last decade. Fermented and salted fish (FSF), such as feseekh, moloha, and renga, have a great popularity in Egypt, where they are considered the main dishes in different social events and festivities. Although FSF‐dishes are popular, they present several health hazards including biological and chemical ones. These hazards are contaminants that might be present in the fish tissues and to be transmitted to humans causing food‐borne illnesses, that is, botulism intoxication. For the sake of public health, methods of detecting and controlling these contaminants have been employed to regulate and control fish's safety and quality prior to consumption to ensure their safety and best quality. We highlighted the hazards, detection methods, critical control points, and control measures involved in the production of main Egyptian FSF. In this review, we also compile the research findings from the available literatures, with future perspectives related to the quality needed for producing a safe FSF. Our review concluded that hazard analysis critical control point (HACCP) system could also be utilized as a preventive measure likewise to guarantee FSF's safety to consumers. Future experiments are needed to determine the underlying mechanisms of microbial impact on the quality of FSF and the optimization of the fermentation process.