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Guidance for Industry: Questions and Answers on HACCP Regulation for Fish and Fishery Products

FinalHuman Foods Program01/01/1999

Scope & Applicability

Product Classes

10
scombroid species

Fish species prone to histamine development

Ready-to-eat

Foods that consumers eat without cooking; fresh-cut produce is typically considered ready-to-eat; RTE foods that do not require further processing for safety

LACF

Shorthand description for thermally processed low-acid foods packaged in hermetically sealed containers.

Canned shellfish

Not covered by the NSSP but covered by LACF regulations

Canned Tuna

Food product subject to standard of identity revisions

Low Acid Canned Seafood

Subject to both HACCP and LACF regulations; Subject to HACCP for hazards other than Clostridium botulinum.; LACF reference in index

sea cucumbers

Included in the regulatory definition of fish

ready-to-eat fishery products

Products requiring strict temperature control during transport

Fish and Fishery Products

The primary product category covered by the sampling recommendations.; Products subject to detention without physical examination; Subject to detention without physical examination (DWPE)

Raw Molluscan Shellfish

Subject to special requirements under 123.20 and 123.28; Specific product category for targeted training; Existing MOUs for these products fulfill HACCP requirements.; Subject to specific controls under 21 CFR 123.20 and 123.28; Specific category with unique regulatory requirements; Testing frequency for molluscan shellfish

Stakeholders

10
Processor

An establishment that performs processing steps on ACTPs.

fisherman

Temporary storage by fisherman

shellfish dealer

entity that may remove tags during processing

shipper

entity subject to sanitary transportation regulation

foreign processor

Entity being verified by the importer; entity whose HACCP program is reviewed for inadequacies; Non-domestic entity required to have a HACCP plan

Customs Broker

Not subject to HACCP regulations unless they meet the definition of importer.

HACCP trained individual

Person qualified to perform hazard analysis and record review

Secondary Processor

entity receiving product from a primary processor

Primary Processor

entity responsible for controlling sulfite hazards

Wholesaler

Subject to regulation if they process seafood

Regulatory Context

Attributes

3
Characterizing ingredient

determines if a product is subject to seafood HACCP

Water-phase-salt

Criteria for smoked, vacuum packed product

cooking temperature

Critical limit for fully cooked products

Identified Hazards

Hazards

10
Histamine

Hazard requiring control in scombroid species; Hazard in scombroid species resulting from temperature abuse; Hazard resulting from time/temperature abuse; Chemical hazard associated with scombrotoxic fish

Scombrotoxic fish

Hazard control for scombrotoxic fish

PSP hazard

Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning hazard in lobster and shellfish

C. bot

Controls for Clostridium botulinum in vacuum packed raw fish

Food safety hazards

focus of inspection to prevent occurrence

vegetative cells of microorganisms of public health concern

pathogens that must be eliminated by heat treatment

Ciguatera toxin

Environmental hazard in imported products

Staphylococcus aureus

Toxin production in products held at room temperature; Pathogen capable of toxin formation; Enterotoxigenicity of strains isolated from ready-to-eat foods.; Production of extracellular compounds and behavior in foods; Predictive modeling of growth of Staphylococcus aureus

Sulfites

Chemical hazard to be considered in shrimp hazard analysis

Clostridium botulinum

Toxin hazard in certain produce like mushrooms

Related CFR Sections (10)

Related Warning Letters (10)

  • Seafood HACCP/CGMP for Foods/Adulterated/Insanitary Conditions

    Harbor Marine Product Inc.

    2025-12-16
  • CGMP/Food/Prepared, Packed or Held Under Insanitary Conditions/Adulterated

    Hans Bakery Inc. d/b/a Andersen’s Bakery

    2025-09-30
  • Seafood HACCP/CGMP for Foods/Adulterated

    Chaohu Daxin Foodstuffs Co., Ltd.

    2025-08-19
  • Seafood HACCP/CGMP for Foods/Adulterated/Insanitary Conditions

    Yongdae Hwangtae Union Corp Daeryung

    2025-06-24
  • Low Acid Canned Food Regulation/Adulterated

    United King Foods Private Limited

    2025-06-03
  • Seafood HACCP/CGMP for Foods/Adulterated

    Rey de los Camarones S. A.

    2025-05-27
  • Seafood HACCP/CGMP for Foods/Adulterated

    Reunipeche SAS

    2025-05-27
  • Low Acid Canned Food Regulation/Adulterated

    Baldwin Richardson Foods Pennsauken, LLC

    2025-05-21
  • Seafood HACCP/CGMP for Foods/Adulterated/Insanitary Conditions

    Yeshua Bendito, C.A.

    2025-05-20
  • Low Acid Canned Food Regulation/Adulterated

    Chongqing Tianrun Food Development Co., Ltd

    2025-05-20

See Also (8)