Is seafood inspected for safety and graded for quality like meat?
• Overseen by a combination of six federal and state agencies, California’s commercial fishing industry is one of the most heavily regulated, inspected and monitored in the United States. In California the Food and Drug Branch of the California Department of Health Services has primary responsibility for seafood safety in the state. Regulations on the seafood industry include mandatory registration of all California seafood processors and a mandatory annual inspection for sanitation, packaging, proper temperature control procedures and other public health concerns. A similar mandatory inspection is required in markets and restaurants, with inspections performed by county health department inspectors at least annually and often several times throughout the year. • Shellfish growing areas are certified and regulated, and California’s local waters are monitored for biotoxins and chemical contaminants. Also, the CDHS maintains strict requirements for California canneries, including mandato
