Seafood

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Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center have discovered how foodborne pathogen Vibrio parahaemolyticus infects people after eating raw or undercooked shellfish. The findings could lead to new ways to treat illness caused by the enteric bacteria.

Shellfish are filter feeders, and may concentrate microorganisms (bacteria and viruses), as well as natural toxins and chemicals if they are present in the growing waters. The current National Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP) dictates uniform requirements that every state must meet, with federal oversight provided by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). States are required by the NSSP to maintain minimum sanitation standards addressing issues such as water quality monitoring, harvest area enforcement, training of harvesters and dealers, processing, shipping, and handling.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released a report, titled, Activities for the Safety of Imported Seafood. The document shares the steps that FDA is taking to ensure that seafood imported to the U.S. meets food safety requirements and the standards of domestically produced seafood.   

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) have published a Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meetings on Microbiological Risk Assessment (JEMRA) report on the safety and quality of water used in the production and processing of fish and fishery products.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have put out a call for experts for the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation on the Risks and Benefits of Fish Consumption.

There are viable alternatives to antimicrobial use in aquaculture that need proper investment, according to recent research supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization of The United Nations (FAO) and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad).

Consumer Reports (CR) recently tested canned tuna from popular brands, and observed varying levels of mercury, a toxic heavy metal found in foods, on a can-to-can basis.

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries (NOAA Fisheries) has announced a proposed rule to expand the Seafood Import Monitoring Program (SIMP), a risk-based program for targeted species of seafood imported into the U.S.

Small food manufacturers, defined as those with less than 500 full-time employees, have experienced significant challenges to operate and supply food during the COVID-19 pandemic. To better support small manufacturers in Georgia, the University of Georgia Marine Extension and the Georgia Sea Grant conducted free, onsite COVID-19 assessments at seven seafood processing/distributing facilities through the first five months of 2021. Completed assessment reports and recommendations are summarized in this article. Manufacturers demonstrated remarkable adaptability to protect workers and avoid closing, despite supply shortages and continually changing public health guidance.

A joint Nordic project has just ended with a report that focuses on the chemical and microbiological hazards associated with seaweed as a food. The project aims to develop a common Nordic approach to seaweed food safety risk management.