Introduction

Definitions
The purpose of QC
Where and how QC operates
Product specification
Process specifications
Operation checks
Inspection of raw material and product
Recording, reporting and action
How much QC is required

Introduction
This note deals with the application of quality control in the fish industry. It defines quality control
and related terms, describes the objectives of quality control, and indicates where and how it
can be used.

Quality control, QC, began in the engineering industry as a means of regulating production of
large numbers of uniform articles, and the technique has spread to other industries, including
the food industry. QC in some form is now common in the fish industry and its use is increasing
steadily as demand for uniformly high quality products increases. Since fish is more variable
than most other foods, the need to apply QC is correspondingly greater. As customers and
governments become more particular about their food requirements, the fish industry must keep
pace with these requirements if it is not to lose out in competition with other foods; it is therefore
important that the principles of QC become widely appreciated in the industry.

Definitions
Quality control can be defined simply as 'maintenance of quality at a level that satisfies the
customer and that is economical to the producer or seller'.

This definition could apply to almost any procedure involving the quality control of fish or fish
products. The buyer on the port market selecting fish that meet the unwritten requirements of
his customers is operating a simple form of QC, and this informal kind of activity is widespread
in the industry; often this is all that is required. However, QC usually means something more
formal, based on written agreed procedures or specifications which are designed to reduce
mistakes, and the term QC is used in this sense in 'what follows. Quality is normally controlled
by designated trained staff who have a clear knowledge of what the customer wants.

Process specification is a written description, mainly for the benefit of the producer, of how the
product is to be made.

Product specification is a written description of what the customer wants.

Inspection is part of QC and means examination of raw material or finished product to make
sure it meets the specification. Inspection is normally a commercial activity, but some official
inspection of fish and fish products is required by law; for example in the UK fish is examined at
port and inland markets by environmental health officers. This mandatory inspection is not part
of industrial QC, but industry should know what the law requires in this respect.

Process control is part of QC; it means checking the process, as distinct from the raw material
or finished product, to ensure that all operations on the fish are done correctly and consistently
to a set standard that is usually described in the process specification.

Quality is difficult to define, since it means different things to different people. One general
definition is 'degree of excellence'. In commerce, quality limits are set by what the customer is
prepared to pay for; generally the customer will pay more for fish that he considers to be of
higher quality, and will continue to buy as long as quality remains constant. Some of the more
important factors that determine quality from the customer's point of view are

species; ease of preparation; appearance; odour; flavour; freshness; size; presence or absence
of bones, blood and filth; absence of specific microorganisms; condition; packaging;
composition.
For example, halibut fetches a higher price than sprat because it is considered to be of higher
quality; fresh fish is considered to be of higher quality than stale fish: fish meal with a high
protein content is considered to be of higher quality than fish meal with a low protein content.

Some aspects of quality are controlled by legislation; for example certain chemical additives or
colouring materials may be prohibited in fish and fish products offered for sale or, in some
countries, the maximum number of bacteria permitted may be specified.

The purpose of QC
The objective of QC is to assist the maintenance or improvement of profitability by minimizing
customer complaints about quality, and hence to avoid the resulting lost business.

Customer complaints mainly arise because quality has fallen; therefore the objective of QC is
realized by keeping quality of output at the right level. Loss of profitability can also occur when
fish products do not comply with local or national regulations; QC can give protection here also.
Maintenance of quality is particularly important for branded products, because a brand name
becomes associated with a particular quality level, and any lowering of the level causes the
customer to lose confidence in the brand; sales of other goods under the same brand may then
also be reduced.

Where and how QC operates

The complexity of QC depends on the size of company and the kind of products it is handling; a
merchant sending iced fillets to retailers and fryers will require much less sophisticated QC than
a large firm making high priced, elaborately prepared frozen dishes. However, four main stages
at which QC is applied can be identified:

1 drawing up a product specification

2 inspecting or testing raw material
3 processing
4 inspecting or testing finished products
Not all these stages necessarily will be present in every case.

Ideally a consistent product can be made by controlling the raw material and the process, but in
practice complete consistency is never achieved, and inspection and testing of the product is an
added safeguard.

Drawing up a product specification (stage 1) is primarily the responsibility of the customer, but it
may be necessary for QC staff to give advice in the drafting. Where there is no specific
customer, it is useful to write the specification in collaboration with people in the company who
are familiar with what the customer may require, for example sales or marketing staff. Once the
product specification is available, the supplier can set up the processing line and arrange
supplies of raw material.

The next job of the quality controller is to inspect and if necessary test the raw material (stage
2). The quality aspects that need checking are usually evident from the product specification but
nevertheless they should be written as a separate raw material specification, preferably after
consultation with the buyer. The quality of the raw material may be affected by the process, and
this must be allowed for in the specification; for example freshness may be lowered during the
process, and the freshness quality of the raw material will therefore need to be higher than that
specified for the product.

Stage 3 involves monitoring the process at points where the quality controller or fish
technologist knows quality may be affected; expert advice may be needed when choosing these
points. Much of the information given in the Advisory Notes in this series can help the quality
controller in his choice of checkpoints, and the kind of measurements to be made. A process
specification can then be written listing both the places and the checks to be made.

Stage 4 involves checking the product to make sure it meets the product specification. What is
written in the specification defines the limits of QC; it is normally wasteful to check aspects in
which the customer is not interested or that are not covered by legislation. Occasionally extra
checking may be justified if it creates worthwhile extra confidence in the product or its
manufacturer.

The value of the product increases during processing and it is increasingly wasteful to throw out
or reprocess inferior material in the later stages; it is therefore important to get things right in the
early stages to reduce product testing to a minimum.

Once QC is in operation, all measurements and the results of inspections and tests should be
recorded and transmitted so that appropriate action can be taken.

In what follows, QC is dealt with in more detail; because inspection and testing of raw material
are similar to those of the final product, they are dealt with together.

Product specification
A product specification includes at least a description of the product and of the quality factors
the product should possess. It may also set out the exact scope covered, any special
processing precautions and the methods of measurement to be used.
The description of the product is a straightforward form of words, although it may be lengthy for
some products. Typical examples can be found in

Model Purchase Specifications for Hospital Caterers

White Fish Authority/Herring Industry Board/Torry Research Station October 1971
A list of the most commonly specified quality factors is given in the table below; not all the
factors listed will occur in any one specification. Most of the factors in the table are in
abbreviated form; examples of how they might be set out in a specification are given in the
above documents.

It is often possible to put numerical values on the factors, and this should be done wherever
possible; for example the size of codling can be specified as being within a given length range.

If the quality factors are grouped under the following seven headings

appearance
odour and flavour
texture
ingredients and composition
packaging
defects and blemishes
size and weight
no variation from the limits given in the specification would normally be allowed under the first
five headings, but some tolerance must be allowed under the last two because of the
occurrence of natural or inevitable variations in the material; for example the weight of fish in a
frozen portion might be allowed to vary by up to 15 g from the average specified weight because
it is impossible to cut and weigh more accurately with the equipment available. Similarly, up to a
given maximum number of worms may be tolerated in a given weight of fish, because it is
impossible to guarantee complete freedom from worms. Sometimes the defects and blemishes
are considered as a group when determining tolerances; points are allocated to each defect and
if the sum exceeds a certain value the product is deemed not to meet the specification. The idea
is that whilst a small defect of itself is not objectionable, several defects taken together are.

It is sometimes necessary to include in the product specification items relating to the raw
material or the process; for example a fish finger specification may include a list of batter and
crumb ingredients and specify their quality, or a frozen fish specification might specify the use of
a particular quick freezing process. When complete product specifications are agreed between
a number of commercial firms, or are imposed by governments, they are referred to as product
standards.

Quality factors for fish products

Quality factor Products to which applicable*

freshness 1-8
species 1-9
size offish; weight of portion or contents 1-9
condition, texture 1-8
blemishes: blood, dirt, bruises, parasites 1-8
skin, bone, belly membrane 2-8
odour, flavour 1-8
temperature, amount of ice 1-7
packaging 1-9
number in pack 1-8
bacterial count 1-9
salt content 3,4,8
smoke flavour 3,4
additives, colouring materials 2-8
colour, gloss 2-8
freezing and cold storage conditions 5-7
glaze 5
voids, ice lumps 6
shape and size 6,7
amount of minced fish 6,7
adhesion of batter and crumb 7
batter and crumb ingredients 7
amount of batter 7
fish content 7,8
degree of fill; drained weight 8
arrangement of fill 8
composition 4,9
heat processing 8
*Products to which numbers refer
1 whole wet fish
2 unfrozen fillets
3 smoked white fish
4 smoked fatty fish; kippers
5 frozen fish: whole; individual fillets; smoked
6 frozen fish: blocks of fillets; portions
7 battered and crumbed products
8 canned fish
9 fish meal

Process specifications
Not all steps in the process need to be described in a process specification since not all are
important in meeting the product specification. The processing factors that most affect quality in
the fish industry are

time
temperature
contamination
damage or deterioration
hygiene and sanitation
equipment and methods
packing for product appeal
correctness of fill
Raw material and packaging specifications should be included in the process specification if
they are not described elsewhere.

Codes of Practice are available for some processes in the fish industry, and these can serve as
useful foundations on which to base process specifications. It is impossible in the space of this
note to deal with all processing details, but the following are a number of illustrative points.

Time

Because fish is so perishable, it is important that it be processed quickly; systematic checks

must be made on the time fish takes to pass through the process, and it is useful to prepare a
schedule of permitted times. The rate of spoilage of wet fish at different temperatures is known
accurately; thus it is possible to specify maximum allowable times in order to keep spoilage to a
permitted level. For example, it might be specified that fish off the market should not be iced
back for more than 24 hours, or that the interval between packing fillets at normal factory
temperature and freezing them should not be longer than 1 hour.

Freezing times can be important to quality maintenance, and often need to be specified; in the
same way maximum cold storage times for raw material or finished product may be stated,
since fish deteriorates slowly even at low temperature.

Measurement and control of operation time is straightforward; equipment like freezers or retorts
can be controlled by alarm clocks, time switches or more complex programmed systems.

Temperature

Wet fish should be held as closely as possible to 0°C throughout handling, processing and
distribution in order to reduce spoilage to a minimum. Good practice when handling wet fish is
dealt with in detail in several notes in this series; temperature measurement is discussed in
Advisory Note 94. When it is impractical to hold fish at a specified temperature, then a maximum
permissible temperature should be given.

Temperatures of freezing, cold storage, drying, smoking, cooking and heat processing may
have to be stated in a process specification.

Contamination

The product can be contaminated in a number of ways during processing, for example by dirt,
scales, bones, blood, water, lubricating oil, unpleasant odours and flavours, and hair. The
process specification should detail the main methods of avoiding contamination, for example the
wearing of protective clothing. Much of what needs to be specified under this heading is a
matter of common sense and experience.

Damage or deterioration

A wide range of protective measures against damage or deterioration come under this head, for
example measures designed to prevent the fish being trodden on, knocked, bruised, pierced
with hooks, bent while stiff in rigor, or squashed. Protection against drying or freezer burn by
humidity control, glazing or suitable packaging may be specified; instructions about heat sealing
of packs may be detailed here, and the use of vacuum packing may be specified to reduce
oxidative rancidity.

Permitted additives and their manner of use might be specified, for example antioxidants to
prevent deterioration and combustion of fish meal, or polyphosphates to prevent drip loss in
prepacked wet fish. Conditions of storage of raw material or product may also be controlled
under this head.

Hygiene and sanitation

Fish is a food, and must be handled hygienically; if hygiene is not dealt with as a separate
management function, then appropriate measures should be written into the process
specification. Cleaning and sanitation procedures should be specified here; Advisory Note 45
deals with this subject.

Equipment and methods

Rather than specify how the job should be done, it is sometimes simpler to specify the
equipment that will do it; for example a deboning machine that produces material of the required
quality, or a labelling machine that affixes labels of the right type, may be easier to specify than
the job to be done.

A certain type of freezer may be specified to ensure that freezing is done in the required manner
but, where the equipment can be used in several ways, it may be necessary to specify exactly
how it should be used; for example, it is usually necessary to specify the manner of loading and
the freezing time for each product in an air blast freezer, or the brine strength and product
residence time in a continuous briner.

Packing for product appeal

The eye appeal and finish of the product is important, and the process specification should
cover these aspects; for example instructions to cut and trim neatly, and to arrange the fish
attractively in the pack, will help to ensure the product is displayed to the best advantage; filling
the pack with the right number, size and weight of fish, and the manner of labelling and stapling
can be specified under this heading.

Yield and efficiency

The yield of edible product from raw fish, and the efficiency of the process, are important factors
affecting profitability, and responsibility for these in the larger firms usually falls on production
and method study staff, but in small firms the job may conveniently be combined with QC.
Maximum yield and high efficiency depend on close supervision of such things as skill of filleters
and other hand workers, incentive schemes, machine settings, and weight changes during
processing due to drying, drip loss, water absorption, uptake of salt, polyphosphate and cooking
oil. Methods of measuring and controlling output of staff and machines is outside the scope of
this note.
Operation checks
The process specification or the part of the product specification that deals with processing will
show the critical points at which operations should be checked. In this context there are two
kinds of operations, the work of operatives and the settings on equipment. Instructions about
how to make the operation checks should be written down, so that the checks can be made by
operatives, checkers, supervisors or QC staff, although final responsibility will lie with QC staff.
Operation checks can sometimes be combined with product checks; for example where both the
way in which a fish is to be trimmed and the form of the trimmed fish are specified, the two can
be checked together. On the other hand, checking a temperature recorder on a cold store is
solely an operation check.

Inspection of raw material and product

Methods of inspecting and testing quality are of two main types, sensory or organoleptic tests,
and instrumental and chemical tests. The first type employs only the human senses of sight,
smell, taste and touch, whereas the second employs instruments like thermometers and
chemical apparatus which are largely independent of human responses. Generally it is obvious
which type should be used, and in the fish industry sensory methods are used most widely. One
of the most important factors in choosing a method is the time available for testing. Thus the
assessment of freshness in wet fish must often be made within an hour or two, whereas several
days may be available for testing frozen fish. Sensory methods have disadvantages; for
example the results can be variable, and the operator may be subject to outside influences and
fatigue. There is therefore some incentive to replace sensory methods with instrumental ones;
for example chemical methods of measuring freshness are available that can largely replace
sensory methods, although they are generally too elaborate and expensive to be used as
routine. Their main advantage is that when there is doubt or dispute about sensory
measurements they can serve as reference methods.

Sensory methods are of two types, subjective and objective. With a subjective method, the
inspector makes a personal assessment; for example he may say whether he likes the sample
of fish or not, how much he likes or dislikes it, and whether he would buy it. This type of
assessment is sometimes called hedonic, that is relating to pleasure. With an objective sensory
method, the inspector attempts to assess the fish dispassionately and without prejudice by
concentrating his attention on specific quality factors, for example degree of saltiness. Training
and experience are necessary to enable him to do this accurately and reproducibly; he must
become an expert. To reduce personal bias further, it is often advisable to have a group of
experts examining the fish; the independent assessments of the members are then averaged
statistically. Such a group is loosely called a taste panel. Since taste panels can be expensive to
set up and run, their use is justified in only a few instances.

The number of objective tests, whether sensory or instrumental, available for the assessment of
those qualities of a complex product that the ordinary consumer likes is still small; thus
subjective methods, despite their disadvantages, have a place in QC.

Freshness

Freshness is a most important quality factor to the consumer; thus assessment of freshness is
vital in QC. Freshness means here how much the fish or fish product has spoiled when held in
the wet state; when applied to frozen or canned fish, it means freshness of the fish before
canning or freezing. Fish kept frozen for a long time may taste unpleasant because it develops
off flavours in store, but these are not the same as those associated with stale wet fish.

In general the sensory method of assessing freshness is the best at present for QC purposes.
As fish spoils, its smell, taste, appearance and feel go through characteristic and well defined
stages that trained experts or experienced staff can consistently recognize. It is convenient to
attach a number or score to each stage so that the assessor can award the appropriate score to
each fish or batch of fish. Alternatively the mere recognition of each stage, and acceptance or
rejection of fish on this basis, may be all that is necessary. Different species and products spoil
in different ways, but freshness scoring systems are available from Torry Research Station for
most UK commercial species and for many of the products listed in the table. The spoilage
changes can be observed in either the raw fish or the cooked fish, and systems are available for
both forms.

Freshness expressed in numbers is finding its way increasingly into product specifications and
standards; examples of elaborate systems can be found in the Model Purchase Specifications
referred to earlier, but quite simple number codes can be of considerable help in QC.

If freshness is expressed as a score in the product specification, or unambiguously in words, for

example 'not sour', the job of the quality controller or the panel is to test the fish and report when
it does not comply with the specification.

There are several chemical methods that assess freshness sufficiently well for QC purposes.
They all depend on measuring the concentration of certain chemical substances in the flesh
and, since the sample is destroyed in the process, they cannot be used to test every fish in a
batch. The concentration of the chemicals changes in a regular manner as the fish spoils, so
that the level of concentration indicates the freshness. All the methods require the use of a
laboratory or fairly elaborate facilities. The main methods used are the measurement of
trimethylamine, TMA, hypoxanthine, volatile reducing substances, and total volatile bases, TVB.
The methods do not apply to all species and products alike, but the method used widely is TMA.
The maximum TMA value, and occasionally the maximum TVB value, are currently written into
some specifications.

The ideal method would be one that avoids the subjectivity of sensory methods, and would be
cheap, nondestructive, easy to use, not subject to variation or fatigue, have rapid response and
wide application. These requirements can be satisfied only by an instrument. Although
promising ideas for such an instrument are being pursued, a suitable one is not yet available.

Species

The distinguishing features of whole fish of different species make identifications and control of
supply fairly straightforward, but identification of skinless fillets, canned fish and fish in products
like fish cakes is more of a problem. Furthermore, the Labelling of Food Regulations require that
only certain approved names be used for the principal UK species; the species in a product
must be exactly what is stated on the label. Suppliers will then need to have recourse to a
suitable identity test. A chemical method, known as the electrophoretic method, is now available
which can be used to identify with certainty the species in an unknown sample; the method is
applicable to frozen, cooked and canned products as well as wet fish in Advisory Note 80.
Condition and texture

This category includes factors like plumpness, thinness, toughness, softness, oiliness,
greasiness, wateriness, presence of roe or milt. Most of these can only be assessed
subjectively, and this is all that is necessary. The fat content of the flesh or of the whole fish for
species like herring and sprat can be measured, and there are sensory scoring schemes for
measuring degree of toughness of flesh, particularly for frozen fish. Instrumental and chemical
tests for toughness have been used experimentally, but not yet in industrial QC.

Blemishes

Blemishes here mean mainly instrinsic defects, ones found in the raw material, but a few arise
from defects in handling; all are assessed by eye.

The presence of dirt or gross filth is not allowed, and normal production inspection will ensure
this. Some tolerance is usually allowed for other blemishes like bruises and blood marks, chalky
or gaping flesh, parasites, and struvite crystals. Tables describing different levels of occurrence
of blemishes can be prepared to aid the inspector in his judgment; for example the maximum
number or size of blood clots can be specified for a specific area of fillet. The inspector then
measures the blemishes on a representative sample and compares the value with the
specification.

Advice on detecting parasites, particularly nematode worms in cod, by candling is given in

Advisory Note 24.

Skin, bones and belly membrane

This category covers defects in workmanship as opposed to intrinsic blemishes described

above. These factors can usually be expressed as numbers; for example, it may be specified
that not more than a certain area of skin is allowable in a unit of 'skinless' fillet. Workmanship
can never be perfect, and tolerances must be allowed; the tolerance should be related to what is
practicable in industry. Inspection is made in the same manner as for blemishes. The presence
of bones after filleting or trimming is detected by sight and touch.

Off odours and flavours

Fish with strong objectionable odours are normally detected and discarded during processing,
but some less noticeable off odours and flavours can be detected only by experienced
personnel. Badly stored frozen fish in particular is susceptible to two kinds of unpleasant odour
and flavour; these are the so-called cold storage odour or flavour of white fish, and rancidity in
fatty fish. Sensory scoring systems are available and may be specified for the assessment of
these and similar defects. In addition it is always good practice to taste the product from time to
time to reduce the chance of off flavours escaping detection.

Cold storage odour and flavour can be assessed indirectly by chemical tests, for example by
measuring the concentration of formaldehyde in frozen cod, or by measuring the peroxide value
in frozen herring, but little commercial use has hitherto been made of these tests.

Bacterial count
Bacterial counts are necessary in QC for two reasons. First, the presence of harmful
microorganisms such as Staphylococcus aureus, Coliforms and Salmonella in fish products may
cause illness through infection or poisoning, and secondly the presence of large numbers of
organisms indicates either gross contamination or spoilage. Thus a low or moderate incidence
of microorganisms is one indicator of good quality.

Some public health authorities and some buyers, particularly overseas, now insist that fish
products contain no more than a certain number of bacteria in a unit weight; thus suppliers of
some products now have to include a suitable test in their QC.

Bacterial testing can be time consuming and expensive; only large firms are normally able to
provide their own facility, and smaller firms have to employ consultants or outside testing
laboratories. Where a firm does provide its own facility, this can often be combined with an
advisory service on hygiene, sanitation and fish spoilage. Representative samples have to be
taken for bacterial examination, because the fish or product is destroyed during the test.
Interpreting the results of bacterial testing is a task for experts who should be consulted when
necessary.

Salt content

The acceptable amount of salt in fish products in the UK is usually 1-4 per cent, but for some
products it may be necessary to control salt content more closely; for example the range for
kippers might be 1.8-2.5 per cent. Process control may involve either sensory or chemical tests.
Sensory assessment should by systematic; the fish should be prepared in the same way each
time, and a group of interested people should independently assess the degree of saltiness; a
trained panel is not normally necessary. Chemical or physical tests should be used when the
salt content is closely specified.

Additives and colouring materials

The use of additives and colouring materials is governed by legislation, and those responsible
for QC should be aware of the law. Examples of the use of additives to improve the product
include the use of polyphosphates to prevent drip loss, antioxidants to control rancidity, and
flavourings. UK legislation is embodied in Statutory Instruments issued jointly by the Ministry of
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and the Department of Health. Most foreign countries, and the
EEC countries as a group, have their own legislation, and exporters should be aware of the
relevant laws.

Colour and gloss

These factors greatly influence the appeal of the product to the consumer. Physical methods of
measuring colour have not yet proved widely successful for fish products, and in the UK
assessment is usually by eye. Descriptive scales can be used for shades of colour and degree
of gloss; for example colours from pale brown to mahogany can be described for kippers.
Standard shade cards can be used for matching. Discolorations are assessed in the same way
as blemishes.

Voids and ice lumps

Frozen blocks of fillets for cutting up into fish fingers or portions should not contain voids or
large regions of ice. Consistently perfect blocks cannot be made in practice, and some tolerance
must be allowed. Defects are normally assessed visually by an experienced checker, but they
can be measured more accurately if required.

Shape and size

The shape and size of frozen blocks of fillets, and of fish fingers and portions, have to be
controlled within specified limits; in particular the edges of blocks, fingers or portions need to be
at right angles to the faces. Defects are assessed by eye or by measurement.

Minced fish content

The amount of minced or fragmented fish allowable in a frozen fish block is sometimes
specified. A representative sample of blocks has to be thawed, the fillets separated from the
mince or fragments, and the two lots weighed.

Fish content

The amount of fish in a fish product may sometimes be specified; for example the minimum
amount of fish in fish cakes, and in pastes and spreads, is specified in UK regulations. The fish
content can be controlled straightforwardly during processing, but occasional checks may be
necessary on samples of the product; this is done by analysing the fish protein content.
Accurate methods of doing this are not yet available.

Composition

The exact chemical or nutritional composition of fish and fish products is not normally an
important quality factor, but for herring products and for fish meal the composition may be
specified. For herring products, and particularly kippers, the raw material should have a
specified minimum fat content to ensure a good product. Protein and fat content of fish meal are
important in determining the nutritive value to animals, and the composition thus determines the
selling price to some extent.

Composition is always assessed by destructive chemical methods.

Recording, reporting and action

Decisions taken as a result of QC can be important and occasionally may be vital; it is therefore
important to keep adequate records. These might include completed check lists, tables of
measurements and results, record charts and control charts; ideally they should be in an agreed
standard form. What is recorded and in what form will depend on particular requirements, and it
may be necessary to take statistical advice. QC and its records are means not ends, and should
only be sufficient to meet clearly defined purposes; records should not proliferate, and they
should be sent quickly in understandable form to those who will make the decisions.

The person responsible for taking action on QC findings varies between companies, depending
on their management organization and attitudes. Sometimes the quality controller is allowed to
take some decisions himself; sometimes it is his responsibility to report to line management, for
example the production manager, so that decisions can be made. The decision may be to take
action or to take no action; for example it may be decided to discontinue buying raw material
that does not meet the specification, or to correct a faulty process, or not to dispatch faulty
products to a customer.

Since the aims of QC and production staff sometimes conflict, it may be expedient to allow QC
staff to report to a higher level than the production staff, to ensure that the best decision is
made.

Whatever arrangements are decided for reporting and action, they should be laid down in
advance, clearly understood, and agreed by all concerned including top management.
Otherwise the effort put into QC is wasted and staff are frustrated. The efficient use of this
management tool depends upon good liaison between QC and other staff.

How much QC is required

The cost of QC must be not more and preferably much less than the benefit that accrues from
its operation, but unfortunately the benefit is difficult and sometimes impossible to measure.
Where there is no clearcut benefit, it may be possible to dispense with QC altogether, but all
large firms acknowledge that some QC is necessary to safeguard their reputation. It is claimed
by some that all food firms should have effective QC of some kind, and that firms without any
should not be in business. One solution is to do just enough QC to keep complaints about
quality from customers or officials to an acceptable level, a level that can be judged only from
experience. A firm selling a product of high and consistent quality in a demanding market may
wish to aim for no complaints, a situation that will usually demand a high level of QC. QC may
also be undertaken to foster public relations, thus requiring a higher level than is necessary on
technical grounds.

On rare occasions the supplier and the customer may agree on the degree of risk involved in
not meeting a specification; this agreed degree of risk then determines the level of sampling or
inspection involved, and thus the cost of QC. The assessment of degree of risk, and the manner
of selecting and testing the appropriate samples, are technical subjects on which it may be
necessary to seek statistical advice.

The cost of mandatory inspection or QC is inescapable and is borne to some extent by all
parties, but mainly by the taxpayer or the consumer. Most QC is applied by the processor in the
fish industry, but the catcher also can exercise some control over quality of the raw material on
board ship. There is little QC in the retail or catering trade, but the practice is growing,
particularly among the largest buyers. Here it takes two forms, liaison with suppliers and
occasional sampling and assessment of the product. Absence of QC at the retail or catering
stage can cause difficulties for the supplier wishing to protect the reputation of his brand image;
when the consumer complains as a result of mishandling by the retailer, the supplier usually
bears the brunt. Liaison between QC staff and the retailer can go some way towards
overcoming this problem.

Whatever the form of QC in the fish industry, the cost should not be more than about 1 per cent
of sale value, and may well be only a fraction of this.