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THE CARROLL COX SHOW NEWS AND COMMENTARY |
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This document has been developed by the Seafood Inspection Program, NOAA Fisheries, U.S. Department of Commerce (USDC). It is to be used as a reference for determining which fishery products have been produced in fish establishments approved by USDC. Only those processing establishments or vessels which have been sanitarily inspected, approved, and certified as being capable of producing safe, wholesome products in accordance with specific quality regulations promulgated by the USDC are listed. http://www.seafood.nmfs.noaa.gov/APPLST-8-08.pdf USDC PARTICIPANTS
LIST FOR FIRMS, FACILITIES
AND PRODUCTS U.S. Department of Commerce Seafood Inspection Program NOAA 2008 As
of12/5/08 Volume 23, No. 2 INTRODUCTION This document has been developed by the Seafood
Inspection Program, NOAA Fisheries, U.S. Department of Commerce (USDC). It is
to be used as a reference for determining which fishery products have been
produced in fish establishments approved by USDC. Only those processing
establishments or vessels which have been sanitarily inspected, approved, and
certified as being capable of producing safe, wholesome products in accordance
with specific quality regulations promulgated by the USDC are listed. To provide the user with a ready reference, the
establishments or vessels are divided into four categories: All establishments or vessels approved for sanitation
and to produce inspected fishery products which may bear the official USDC
Inspection and/or Grade Marks Establishments approved for sanitation and to produce
animal feed products Establishments Contracting for Lot Inspection Approved International Facilities The firms and vessels listed in this document, at
their own expense, voluntarily contracted with USDC for inspection services.
They have demonstrated their ability to meet rigid standards of sanitation and
the capability to produce safe, wholesome fishery products. NOAA Fisheries does
not infer that plants not appearing on this list fail to meet rigid hygienic
standards. This list is a compilation of those firms participating in the
National USDC Seafood Inspection Program. Products that are officially inspected may bear USDC
Inspection Marks, i.e., U.S. Grade A, and/or Processed Under Federal Inspection
(PUFI). Financially interested parties may request certification on products
bearing or not bearing marks which is a written report that certifies the type
of inspection, class, grade, quality, size, quantity, or condition of products
(including the compliance of product with applicable specifications). This document is published semi-annually and may be
obtained by submitting your request to the address below stating your desire to
be placed on the mailing list for the USDC Participants List for Firm,
Facilities, and Products. U.S. Department of Commerce NOAA Fisheries Seafood Inspection Program Documentation Approval and Supply Services
Section P.O. Drawer 1207 Pascagoula, MS 39568-1207 Phone: (228)762-1892 or 762-1894 Fax: (228)769-1436 This document may also be viewed and
downloaded from our website: seafood.nmfs.noaa.gov
http://www.seafood.nmfs.noaa.gov/FacilityUpdate102103.pdf
U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Seafood Inspection Program October 21, 2003 2 Program
Policy Fishery
Products Treated with Carbon Monoxide and Filtered Smoke Gas In 1997, the USDC
Seafood Inspection Program became aware of a process that employs a filtered
wood smoke that at least one processing company, Hawaii International
Seafoods, Inc., termed "tasteless smoke" (TS). The purpose of its application is to
retard the development of the brown color that rapidly occurs in tunaflesh after it has
been cut. Although carbon monoxide (CO) is a component of the "tasteless
smoke", its concentration is similar to that found in normal wood smoke. Unlike some other
processes that result in the color of the product being enhanced or brightened and fixed
through the direct use of CO at significantly higher concentrations and/or longer
exposure times, this process, when used with appropriate controls, reportedly does not
enhance the natural flesh color of tuna, and the color of the flesh eventually degrades
over time. There is no evidence to suggest that “tasteless smoke” poses a health risk
to the consumer from the ingestion of treated product. On September 3, 1998,
Richard Cano signed a policy indicating that only seafood treated with
“tasteless smoke” gas from verified facilities named in the policy would be permitted to be lot
inspected and bear our mark once it arrived in the United States. The list of accepted
facilities would be updated as necessary. In May 1999, FDA
issued Import Bulletin 16B-95 which included instructions that tuna treated with
"tasteless smoke" or CO should be: • labeled
as processed foods that have been treated with CO or TS, • not
misrepresented as fresh frozen seafood by their label, and • near
normal in flesh color As a result of Import
Bulletin 16B-95, the USDC Seafood Inspection Program policy was expanded to include
facilities treating products with carbon monoxide mixtures. Hawaii International
has provided data to support their view that “tasteless smoke” is GRAS by submitting a
GRAS notification document to FDA’s Office of Premarket Approval. On March
10, 2000 FDA has responded that the agency has no questions at this time regarding
the conclusion of Hawaii International that tasteless smoke is GRAS for use on raw tuna,
before it is frozen, to preserve its taste, aroma, texture, and color. The agency has not,
however, made its own determination regarding the GRAS status of this use of tasteless
smoke. The FDA response further reiterates that any firm who markets tuna that has
been preserved with tasteless smoke is responsible for ensuring that such tuna is
neither adulterated nor misbranded under sections 402 and 403 of the Federal Food, Drug,
and Cosmetic Act. USDC
Seafood Inspection Program Policy USDC has implemented
a policy within its voluntary Seafood Inspection Program to lot inspect and certify
tuna products treated with filtered wood smoke or carbon monoxide only if those
products originate from firms that USDC has verified employ acceptable process controls. The
products must also be in compliance with all other applicable legal and regulatory
requirements. October 21, 2003 3 Verification
Protocol The verification
protocol encompasses several parameters. First, the firm’s HACCP and sanitation operation
are evaluated for compliance to FDA regulations, in particular 21CFR Part 123. Color
readings are taken of a sampling of tuna steaks using a HunterLab color
difference meter. Steaks are sampled with readings taken after the first cut, after exposure
to the gas, and at thirty, ninety, and one hundred fifty-day intervals in frozen storage. After
frozen storage, at each of the intervals, the steaks are thawed and stored chilled under
conditions similar to that found in retail stores. Each day for the next five days, the
steaks are analyzed for color readings and sensory indicators. All readings are charted
and analyzed using HunterLab software. Photographs are taken at each stage of one
steak that has been treated and a control. Samples of the gas
are also taken at the source and analyzed for various constituents, including carbon
monoxide. Histamine analyses are also performed on representative product samples. Audits of production
facilities are performed twice per year. Additional
Activities In an effort to
determine criteria to objectively describe "near normal in flesh
color", the USDC Seafood
Inspection Program has collected color data at each facility. This data was used to develop a
process/color specification that was evaluated with industry assistance since
February. Additional tests occurred that evaluated the effect of filtered smoke and carbon
monoxide on tuna at varied stages of deterioration. The conclusion of the studies will
be published and the colormetric standard announced in the Federal Register in the near
future. Verified
Facilities Below are the
facilities currently in compliance with this policy. This list supersedes the list of April 4, 2002
and will be replaced as new facilities are added or deleted. Unless indicated, all
vacuum-packed product forms must be in the frozen state. The Program is aware that other fish
species are being treated with the process, such as tilapia swordfish, and
mahi-mahi. It is planned that color data will be collected on these species as well.
Until then, the Program will not hinder commerce by limiting the lot inspection to only
tuna products from these facilities, as long as all other USFDA and USDC requirements are
met. Questions should be directed to: Firms new to the list
are indicated with a symbol. October 21, 2003 4 Facilities Utilizing Carbon Monoxide Gas Mixtures Facilities Utilizing Filtered Wood Smoke October 21, 2003 5 October 21, 2003
7
MINIMUM FLESH CONTENT REQUIREMENTS FOR USDC
INSPECTED PRODUCTS
This
list of minimum flesh requirements for standardized and non-standardized
breaded and battered products is provided to assure all users of USDC inspected
fishery products are aware of the minimum flesh requirements. These
requirements apply to all species of battered and breaded fish and shellfish. NOTE: USDC
will certify coated, non-graded products without a standard of identity, etc.,
such as breaded fish sticks, breaded portions, and similar breaded fish
products that contain less than 50% fish flesh if a statement immediately
follows as part of the statement of identity declaring the amount of fish flesh
actually present; e.g., “Breaded Fish Sticks Containing 45% Fish”. USDC
GRADE PUFI MARK
MARK FISH Raw Breaded Fillets --- 50%1 Precooked
Breaded Fillets --- 50% Precooked
Crispy/Crunchy Fillets --- 50% Precooked
Battered Fillets --- 40% Raw
Breaded Portions 75% 50% Precooked
Breaded Portions 65% 50% Precooked
Battered Portions --- 40% Raw
Breaded Sticks 72% 50% Precooked
Breaded Sticks 60% 50% Precooked
Battered Sticks --- 40% SCALLOPS Raw
Breaded Scallops 50% 50% Precooked
Breaded Scallops 50% 50% Precooked
Crispy/Crunchy Scallops --- 50% Precooked
Battered Scallops --- 40% SHRIMP Lightly Breaded Shrimp 65% 65%2 Raw Breaded Shrimp 50% 50%2 Precooked
Crispy/Crunchy Shrimp --- 50% Precooked
Battered Shrimp --- 40% Imitation Breaded Shrimp --- NO MINIMUM. Encouraged to put percent on lbl.3 OYSTERS Raw Breaded Oysters --- 50%4 Precooked Breaded Oysters --- 50%4 Precooked Crispy/Crunchy Oysters --- 50%4 Precooked Battered Oysters --- 40%4 MISCELLANEOUS Fish
and Seafood Cakes --- 35% Extruded
and Breaded Products --- 35% 1 No USDC grading
standard exists for products without Grade A percentages. 2 FDA Standard of
Identity requires product have 50% shrimp flesh by weight. If a product is
labeled “lightly” breaded it must contain 65% shrimp flesh. 3 Any product with
a Standard of Identity which contains less flesh than the standard requires
must be labeled imitation. 4 Flesh content on
oyster products can only be determined on an input weight basis during
production. 2 OFFICIAL COOKED FISH YIELDS FOR SEAFOOD The
following list has been developed for both standardized and non-standardized
products to make all users of USDC inspected fishery products aware of the
official cooked yield factors approved to date for use when establishing the
meat/meat alternate yields for USDA/FNS approved Child Nutrition statements.
These factors, developed using standard AOAC* cooking procedures, can be used
to determine seafood yield (converting the raw edible seafood weight to cooked
seafood weight by multiplying the weight of raw seafood in the product by its
yield factor).
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