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Serious Violations Found at Seafood Processors

By Dan Flynn and Suzanna Schreck

One domestic and one foreign seafood processor are coming in for special attention from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

San Diego-based Mamma Lina's Inc. and Taiwan's Union Development Frozen are the latest seafood processors to receive warning letters from FDA.

In a June 7 warning letter to Mamma Lina's, which was made public last week, FDA said the Lobster Ravioli, Seafood Ravioli and Argentinean Style Tuna filled Empanadas prepared, packed, and held by the California company are adulterated because of insanitary conditions.

Mamma Lina's has "serious violations" of the seafood Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulations, according to the agency.

Also in its most recent inspection at the San Diego seafood processing facility, FDA personnel noticed a hose used to clean the processing area was kept on the floor, an employee's bare forearm was coming into contact with ravioli dough, food items were exposed to a cleaning crew using a foamy detergent, and a pump sprayer and bottle were not labeled as to what their contents were.

FDA asked for numerous "corrective actions" to Mamma Lina's HACCP plan, including more attention to cooking times and temperatures in addition to better record keeping.

A June 15 warning letter to Union Development Frozen, a seafood processing company located in Taiwan that exports to the USA, the agency expressed concern about Yellowfin, Spanish Mackerel or King Fish, and Mahi Mahi being adulterated.

FDA wants to be sure the Taiwan company's HACCP plan is adequate to control scombrotoxin (histamine) formation.

In the letter, FDA makes numerous specific suggestions to the Taiwan company on "thawing" and "gutting" critical control points.  It also suggests controlling the time and temperature of the ambient exposure, and not relying on testing individual fish.

Both seafood processors were given 15 working days to respond to FDA's concerns about the safety of their operations.

Full post as published by Food Safety News on July 06, 2010 (boomark / email).