Zadar 30 June 2010

1. Workshop on Anisakis and other fish parasitic infestation management - food safety and business aspects Zadar 30 June 2010 dott. Giuseppe Palma Responsable food hygiene Federpesca (National Federation of Fishing Enterprises) and Assoittica Italia (National Association of Fish and Seafood Companies) Director wholesale fish market Pozzuoli-Naples

2. Food business operators Reg. 178/02 - Art. 19 – c. 4 Food business operators shall collaborate with the competent authorities on action taken to avoid or reduce risks posed by a food which they supply or have supplied. Reg. CE 852/04 - Art. 4 – c. 5 When this Regulation, Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 and their implementing measures do not specify sampling or analysis methods, food business operators may use appropriate methods laid down in other Community or national legislation or, in the absence of such methods, methods that offer equivalent results to those obtained using the reference method, if they are scientifically validated in accordance with internationally recognised rules or protocols. Reg. 853/04 - (21) There are interactions between food business operators, including the animal feed sector, and connections between animal health, animal welfare and public health considerations at all stages of production, processing and distribution. This requires adequate communication between the different stakeholders along the food chain from primary production to retail.

3. The food chain In the spirit of collaboration and communication between the different steps of chain will try to analyze the problem and requirements of three areas: : National Federation of Fishing Enterprises Comune di Pozzuoli Wholesalefish market National Association of Fish and Seafood Companies

4. Fishery products in Italy The chain of fisheries products in Italy is an important segment of the food sector.

5. The production Although the primary production sector is still not developed, the dial is growing along the remaining part of industrial sector. The technology gap is particularly important for fisheries, as the productive structure consists of small boats and relatively old. So as can be seen from the graph the production of fishing industry has suffered in recent years a gradual decrease, accompanied by a reduction of the production system that reflects negatively on fishing days.

6. The production • Therefore, it shows a decrease in production of fisheries and aquaculture is increasing.

7. Indicators of trade in fishery products You notice a steady increase in imports of fishery products and a substantial increase for processed products.

8. The production In the general context of reduced catches, referring to the Italian boat, the apparent decline in recent years, the volume of anchovies, while the other species potentially parasitized from anisakis (mackerel, Spanish mackerel, monkfish, cod) have decreased less evident. Therefore, the parasites, statistically should have decreased.

9. The Processing Industry In 2007, according to Istat, the Italian industrial production index of the processing and preserving of fish and fish products has shown, the average year, a clear trend decline (-6.1%), while a much smaller decrease for all food, beverages and tobacco (-0.9%). Industrial production of frozen seafood in Italy is still relatively undeveloped (the impact of turnover of this segment of the total frozen food is around 5-6%), partly due to a still strong tradition with the consumption of fresh fish, and increasing competition from the frozen product imported and intended for direct consumption.

10. Fish Chain PESCA MEDITERRANEA 216.567 T ACQUACOLTURA PESCI 72.520 T PESCA OCEANICA 10.444 T ACQUACOLTURA MOLLUSCHI 165.000 T PRODUZIONE ITTICA 464.531 T IMPORT 896.000 T 65,85 % DISPONIBILITA’ TOTALE 1.360.531 T EXPORT 131.000 T CONSUMI 1.229.531 T CONSUMI PRO CAPITE 20,6 kg

11. Fish Chain As you can see from the graph production in recent years has declined, compared with an increase in consumption. As we will see the decrease in production, the fisheries sector has been cushioned by the increase in aquaculture production and imported, which has exceeded 60% of national demand.

12. Household consumption In 2007 the index of the quantity purchased by households has shown, for fish products, a significant slowdown in growth in a context of general decline in food consumption. In particular, results are almost stationary purchases of processed fish products, an accomplice to the further increase in consumer prices.

13. Household consumption However, looking at the evolution of these aggregates in the medium term is clear that the rate of purchase quantities of fresh and processed both have registered an average growth of over 2%, while agribusiness as a whole remained stable. While have a decrease of domestic demand of blue fish.

14. Household consumption In Italy, over 60% of sales volume of fish products in 2007 for families affected large areas of retail, hypermarkets and supermarkets, while only one quarter of the quantity by traditional retail (understood here as fishmongers and street vendors / local markets).

15. The fisheries sector in Italy The per capita consumption was down by 20.6 kg, the lowest level in the last 10 years. The decrease in domestic consumption is expected to have especially affected the extra-domestic component, as domestic purchase of fisheries products showed an overall decrease by 0.8% with respect to 2007, with constant food consumption levels (+0,5%). In particular, the demand for fresh fish has experienced a marked reduction (-3,1%). In contrast to this, the consumption of processed products has grown by 1.7%. Among these, bulk frozen fish products, which are cheaper than fresh products, have shown a slight drop in price in 2008.

16. Rapid Alert System Overall, in 2009, 3204 notifications have been treated (3040 in 2008, 2933 and 2874 in 2007 in 2006), received both the European Commission, by both offices peripheral and the Departments of Health. Of the total notifications, Italy has made 472 (equal to 14.7%), resulting, as in the years 2008-2006, the first country for number of alerts sent. After Italy the number of notifications is Germany and Britain, followed by Spain, Holland and France.

17. Control system in Italy Regarding the origin of domestic products, irregular, 98 results were the fourth Community country for the number of notifications received after Germany, France and Spain. Considering, however, also third countries, the state that received the highest number of notifications for non-regular products is China followed by Turkey, the United States and India.

18. Notifications

19. Notification of fishery products During 2009, the notifications, which focused on fishery products were 712, up from 449 in 2008. The highest number of notifications relating to contamination by heavy metals (151) follow from microbiological contamination (98), the presence of residues of veterinary drugs (97), parasites (70), biocontaminanti (53), food additives ( 32), chemical contamination (20), toxins (8), dyes (5), foreign (3), migration (1), pesticide residues (2) and other risks, such as poor state of repair, no labeling compliant, unauthorized establishment, etc.. (172) which are listed under "other" in the following figure.

20. Reg. 2074/05 - Annex II - CHAPTER I DEFINITIONS 1. ‘Visible parasite’ means a parasite or a group of parasites which has a dimension, colour or texture which is clearly distinguishable from fish tissues. 2. ‘Visual inspection’ means non-destructive examination of fish or fishery products with or without optical means of magnifying and under good light conditions for human vision, including, if necessary, candling. 3. ‘Candling’ means, in respect of flat fish or fish fillets, holding up fish to a light in a darkened room to detect parasites.

21. Reg. 2074/05 - Annex II - CHAPTER II VISUAL INSPECTION Visual inspection shall be performed on a representative number of samples. The persons in charge of establishments on land and qualified persons on board factory vessels shall determine the scale and frequency of the inspections by reference to the type of fishery products, their geographical origin and their use. During production, visual inspection of eviscerated fish must be carried out by qualified persons on the abdominal cavity and livers and roes intended for human consumption. Depending on the system of gutting used, the visual inspection must be carried out: (a) in the case of manual evisceration, in a continuous manner by the handler at the time of evisceration and washing; (b) in the case of mechanical evisceration, by sampling carried out on a representative number of samples being not less than 10 fish per batch.

22. Reg. 853/04 Section VII - Cahpter III • REQUIREMENTS CONCERNING PARASITES • 1. The following fishery products must be frozen at a temperature of not more than – 20 °C in all parts of the product for not less than 24 hours; •  this treatment must be applied to the raw product or the finished product: •  (a) fishery products to be consumed raw or almost raw; •  (b) fishery products from the following species, if they are to undergo a cold smoking process in which the internal temperature of the fishery product is not more than 60° • (i) herring; • (ii) mackerel; • (iii) sprat; • (iv) (wild) Atlantic and Pacific salmon; • and • (c) marinated and/or salted fishery products, if the processing is insufficient to destroy nematode larvae.

23. Reg. 853/04 Section VII - Cahpter III REQUIREMENTSCONCERNINGPARASITES 2. Food business operators need not carry out the treatment required under point 1 if: • epidemiological data are available indicating that the fishing grounds of origin do not present a health hazard with regard to the presence of parasites; and (b) the competent authority so authorises. 3. A document from the manufacturer, stating the type of process they have undergone, must accompany fishery products referred to in point 1 when placed on the market, except when supplied to the final consumer.

24. Reg. 852/04 - Annex II – Chapter IX A food business operator is not to accept raw materials or ingredients, other than live animals, or any other material used in processing products, if they are known to be, or might reasonably be expected to be, contaminated with parasites, pathogenic microorganisms or toxic, decomposed or foreign substances to such an extent that, even after the food business operator had hygienically applied normal sorting and/or preparatory or processing procedures, the final product would be unfit for human consumption.

25. REG. 2406/96 Art. 6 5. When products are being classified by freshness category, without prejudice to the health rules applicable, the presence of visible parasites and their possible effect on the quality of the product shall also be taken into consideration, allowance being made for the type of product and its presentation.

26. The situation: • Community regulation and national authority doesnotprovide information, to the competent authority, for the detection ofparasitesreliable and statisticallyvalid; • Community regulation and nationaldoesnotprovide information, to the operator, for the detection ofparasites; • Food business operator is not to accept raw materials or ingredients, other than live animals, or any other material used in processing products, if they are …………............. 1? 10? 100? 1000? • Isimportanttorelate the controlto "edible" product; • Forrisk management need more information on: • degreeofinfestationof the productalong the supplychain; • biologicalcycleof the parasite, geographicaldistribution and seasonal and anatomical location ofparasites;

27. Therefore, in this situation of vacatio legis, with a well-organized production system, and an very active official control system ... ... ... ... what happens?

28. Bursts emergency Anisakis • Therefore, the most common system of communication transmit news by "experts" absolutely incorrect. • The most striking case concerns public healthcare article on Anisakis: • Title: • Fish whit virus • …….remain intoxicated by Anisakis……. • ... .. In particular, it is advisable to avoid eating anchovies and sardines without first cooking with care ....... • ... ...... The alarm has established the presence of virus in a blue fish, a parasite infection causes ........

29. Working group • Federpesca in compliance with Community rules on "Food Security", in which, it was thought that "The food business operators shall collaborate with the competent authorities in accordance with other Community rules applicable or, failing that, in accordance with national law, constituted a working group to collect information and scientific data concerning the presence of Anisakis along the chain of fisheries products. • The project intends to verify, through an epidemiological study, the presence of parasites, Anisakis mainly along the chain of fisheries products. • The study also will identify appropriate methods of sampling, which aims to provide an statistically and significant for ensuring that the principles of food safety.

30. Working group • The data thus collected will be submitted to the competent authorities to identify the necessary strategies to ensure compliance with the principles of "food security“. • The "Working Group", located at the wholesale fish market of Pozzuoli. • The Working Group are involved: • DG of Food Safety and Nutrition – Ministry of Health • Department of Management, Development and Security in fish production-Istituto Zooprofilattico Lazio e Toscana  • Conference for Food Safety  • Department of Animal Sciences and Food Inspection - Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Naples • Veterinary public sector   • University "La Sapienza" Rome - Section of Parasitology

31. Thanks for your attention and please excuse my terrible English. dott. Giuseppe Palma giuseppe.palma@ferepesca.it giuseppe.palma@comune.pozzuoli.na.it Tel: +39 081 524 05 13/10 Fax: +39 081 524 05 21