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F. PAGOTTO, Food Directorate, Health Canada, Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Postal Locator 2204-A-2, Ottawa, ON K1A 0L2, Canada Listeria monocytogenes can be found in a wide variety of fish and shellfish products and can also be isolated from many different water sources. As a result, a number of recalls in the U.S. have occurred due to the presence of L. monocytogenes in Ready-to-Eat (RTE) seafood products. In addition, seafoods such as shrimp, mussels, artificial crab meat and cold-smoked rainbow trout have been involved in listeriosis outbreaks. At present, there are various policies around the world that touch upon L. monocytogenes and seafoods. However, without equivalent active surveillance programs, it is very difficult to assess the efficacy of the various policies. The latest FDA/USDA Listeria risk assessment has placed smoked seafood, cooked RTE crustaceans and raw seafood/preserved fish into high, moderate and low risk categories, respectively. Cold-smoked salmon is one smoked seafood product which has caused concern in a number of countries with respect to L. monocytogenes contamination, and there is currently much research going on in this area. An attempt will be made to discuss the various Listeria policies around the world, with a view towards discussing the advantages and disadvantages of a “zero tolerance” approach for the presence of L. monocytogenes in seafoods. The concept of “Food Safety Objectives” or FSO’s will also be discussed in this context.
Session 92, Zero tolerance and control of seafood safety
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