Delivering safer seafood

A good understanding of biotoxin controls and how the animals respond to various handling regimes can lead to safer seafood being delivered to market.

Bivalve molluscs are one of the only foods normally delivered to the consumer alive. This, and the fact that bivalve molluscs can selectively retain contaminants that are harmful to human health, means controls are in place to mitigate against potential contamination.

A good understanding of the controls and how the animals respond to various handling regimes can lead to safer seafood being delivered to market.

To ensure best practice guidelines are followed Seafish has produced a series of industry guidance notes for fishers and shellfish farmers.

Seafish Industry guidance note - Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning
Seafish Industry guidance note - Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning
Seafish Industry guidance note - Norovirus in live bivalve molluscs 
Seafish Industry guidance note - Anisakis in salmon

For more detailed information

EC Regulation 853/2004 laying down specific hygiene rules on the hygiene of foodstuffs. View here.

EC Regulation 854/2004 laying down specific rules for the organisation of official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption. View here.

Seafish Good manufacturing practice guidelines - Live bivalves workbook. A step-by-step guide to good live bivalve preparation for the market. See Appendix 2 and 3 for EPT standards.