Gordon Helm FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
3/11/96
Seafood Inspection Record Set For the first time in history, the National Marine Fisheries Service's voluntary seafood inspection service inspected more than one billion pounds of edible seafood during 1995, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has announced.
The fisheries service attributes this record, in part, to the continuing growth of its voluntary Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) program, introduced in 1992. The HACCP program identifies hazards associated with the safety, wholesomeness, economic integrity, and quality attributes of seafood products. Control points are established for these hazards and are constantly monitored by the participant with corrective action taken if problems occur. HACCP participants of the fisheries service's volunteer program have the marketing benefits of official inspection marks on product packaging without the higher costs of traditional inspection services.
New Marks and Services Seafood retailers and restaurants may now qualify to take advantage of a new fisheries service seafood inspection mark that recognizes their use of proper sanitation and handling procedures.
Fisheries service officials believe that a "retail mark" on banners, logos or menus will give retailers and restaurateurs the opportunity to showcase their facility as one with proper sanitation and handling of fishery products.
The fisheries service created the new mark in response to many requests and suggestions from the retail industry to assist in product marketability and providing more information to consumers.
Retail and food service establishments can qualify to use the new mark by participating in various voluntary, fee-for-service inspection programs supplied by the fisheries service. These include participation in the HACCP program, or by contracting with the fisheries service for sanitation inspections and associated product evaluation.
The fisheries service has also modified several of its existing marks that are displayed on inspected products. The "packed under federal inspection" (PUFI) mark has been changed to "processed under federal inspection" to more clearly reflect actual product inspection procedures and regulatory requirements. In addition, the fisheries service has made available a HACCP mark or "banner" to be used as an attachment to existing inspection and grade marks to distinguish that the product was produced under the fisheries service's HACCP-based program.
Further, a new "lot inspected" mark was created to replace the existing "officially sampled" and "accepted per specifications" marks currently used on retail labels. The new mark was created for additional use on retail labels with improved benefits to both the retailer and the consumer.
The National Fishery Products Inspection Program inspects edible seafood for U.S. markets and for export to the European Union. The fisheries service operates the voluntary inspection and grading program at no cost to taxpayers on a fee-for-service basis. The seafood inspection marks are registered with the Patent and Trademark Office and are only available to those who participate in the government program and satisfy the applicable requirements.
Other inspection or safety services also are offered to interested parties, such as training, consultations, import/export services, and educational and informational services. For more information, contact the Inspection Services Division, 1315 East- West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910, phone (301) 713-2355, or Internet - http://kingfish.ssp.nmfs.gov/iss/issue.html