Warning about Korean shellfish

According to information released yesterday by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) all Korean certified shippers have been removed from the Interstate Certified Shellfish Shippers List (ICSSL) effective May 1, 2012. All fresh and fresh frozen molluscan shellfish from Korea should be considered from an unapproved source. In addition, FDA considers all fresh and fresh frozen molluscan shellfish and all products subsequently derived from fresh and fresh frozen molluscan shellfish from the Republic of Korea to be adulterated. Therefore, it may be prudent to not further distribute product pending forthcoming details on what we might reasonably expect could be a fairly extensive recall of the product. FDA is working to establish a strategy for final disposition of the implicated product. Detailed information will be provided as soon as it is available. Please note that this message does not preclude States from taking action as appropriate.

FDA is also reminding retail and food service operators that molluscan shellfish served or sold to consumers should be obtained from sources that are in compliance with the National Shellfish Sanitation Program and are listed in the ICSSL. State and local retail food codes modeled after the FDA Food Code contain requirements that make it unlawful for retailers and food service operators to obtain molluscan shellfish from unlisted sources, such as the fresh and fresh frozen raw molluscan shellfish from the Republic of Korea. FDA encourages State and local retail food regulatory authorities to enforce those requirements in the food establishments they license and inspect.