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.
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&fisheriessupport@sfpa.ie
ENDS
Note to the Editor
This updated Food Safety Information Notice can be found on our website on this page Guidance Documents (Shellfish) page or via this link FSIN Guidance on Management of Norovirus for Shellfish Producers V2
About the SFPA
The Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) is the independent statutory body responsible for the regulation of the sea-fisheries and the sea-food production sectors. It promotes compliance with the EU Common Fisheries Policy, sea-fisheries law and food safety law relating to fish and fish products, verifies compliance and, where necessary, enforces it. Its mandate covers all fishing vessels operating within Ireland’s 200-mile limit, over 2,000 Irish registered fishing vessels wherever they operate, and all seafood produced in Ireland’s seafood processing companies. The SFPA operates through a network of regional port offices situated at Ireland’s main fishery harbours. For further information visit: www.sfpa.ie