ISO 23855:2021 PDF

Overview

ISO 23855:2021 - Frozen surimi - Specification defines quality, safety and testing requirements for frozen surimi produced from tropical and cold‑water fish. The standard specifies processing limits, organoleptic and physico‑chemical criteria, allowable cryoprotectants, and detailed test methods for quality control. It also sets requirements for packaging, marking, storage and transportation to help ensure product integrity from factory to market.

Keywords: ISO 23855:2021, frozen surimi, surimi specification, quality control, cryoprotectants, gel strength

Key topics and technical requirements

• Scope and definition: Frozen surimi is a washed, refined paste of myofibrillar fish protein mixed with cryoprotectants and quick‑frozen (intermediate ingredient for surimi‑based products).
• Raw material and processing:
  • Fish must be from FAO‑designated zones and fit for human consumption.
  • Key steps: flesh separation, washing, refining, dewatering, cryoprotectant mixing and quick freezing.
  • Processing temperature limits: fish flesh generally ≤ 10 °C (some tropical species ≤ 15 °C).
  • After quick freezing, central temperature must be ≤ −18 °C.
• Organoleptic requirements: clean, smooth frozen blocks; color from light grey/milky white to slightly pinkish; characteristic fresh fish odor; no visible exogenous impurities.
• Physico‑chemical criteria:
  • Gel strength thresholds by grade (e.g., ≥ 900 g·cm for top grades down to