The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) updated a section of the “Fish and Fishery Products Hazards and Control Guidance”. This guidance is intended to assist processors of fish and fishery products in the development of their Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans. Processors of fish and fishery products will find information that will help them identify hazards that are associated with their products and help them formulate control strategies.

The guidance will help consumers and the general public understand commercial seafood safety in terms of hazards and their controls. It does not specifically address safe handling practices by consumers or by retail establishments, although many of the concepts contained in this guidance are applicable to both. This guidance is also intended to serve as a tool to be used by federal and state regulatory officials in the evaluation of HACCP plans for fish and fishery products.

The FDA has developed a Seafood HACCP video series designed to help the seafood industry and federal and state regulators better understand specific concepts described in the FDA’s "Fish and Fishery Products Hazards and Controls Guidance". Watch the videos and download the guidance here.