SFPA releases updated Food Safety Notice with new guidance to manage Norovirus risks for shellfish producers and improve harvesting safety.
The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) has recently issued an updated Food Safety Information Notice (FSIN) on the management of Norovirus for Shellfish Producers.
Norovirus (NoV), commonly known as the “winter vomiting bug”, is a significant cause of acute gastroenteritis, often causing diarrhoea and vomiting.
Bivalve molluscs such as oysters are known to accumulate and concentrate NoV from their surrounding waters. This poses a particular public health risk as oysters are often consumed raw or lightly cooked, meaning that the virus may remain viable at the point of consumption.
Currently, there is no regulatory limit for NoV in EU legislation relating to shellfish.
Comprehensive guidance was developed by the SFPA along with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), the Marine Institute (MI) and Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) to assist shellfish producers in mitigating the risk of norovirus contamination in oysters.
The guidance outlines a series of recommended risk management options designed to reduce the potential of norovirus-contaminated oysters being either harvested or placed on the market.
These risk management options include regulatory obligations and recommended best practices and are designed for shellfish harvesters, intermediary operators handling shellfish, and approved purification and dispatch centres.
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A reminder that the detailed guidance is available on the FSAI website at the following link: Interim Guidance on the Management of Norovirus in Oysters by Shellfish Producers
Under EU and Irish legislation, all Food Business Operators (FBOs) must be registered or approved with the competent authority (SFPA), depending on activities carried out. Primary producers such as shellfish farmers and gatherers of shellfish are obliged to register as a FBO with the SFPA. In addition, land-based establishments handling, purifying and dispatching oysters must be approved.
Further information is available on the SFPA website: Registration-Approval-of-Businesses
The SFPA is committed to supporting compliance with both new and existing legislation and is available to provide guidance.
For assistance or further details on the updated FSIN, please contact sfpafood&[email protected]
