The U.S. Food and Drug Administration shared on Friday a partnership with Ecuador’s seafood regulatory authority to improve the safety of imported shrimp, as well as a proposed rule to modify the standard of identity and standard fill of container for canned tuna.
The regulatory partnership arrangement between the FDA and Ecuador’s regulatory authority seeks to leverage oversight systems to improve the quality of imported aquaculture shrimp that is bred and farmed. The FDA reviewed key inspection records, sample findings, and non-public documents to determine that Ecuador’s food safety controls for shrimp are science-based and up to the country’s standards.
“Through this assessment, the FDA became confident that Ecuador has key components of a food safety oversight system for shrimp and shrimp products intended for export to the U.S.,” shared a statement from the FDA’s Office of Global Policy and Strategy.
This is the first regulatory partnership arrangement between the U.S. and Ecuador. It allows for the collaboration on best practices, food safety policies, and process trainings as well as helps improve the system for recall and adverse food safety notification.
“Ecuador may be a small country, but it is an important supplier of food to the United States, especially of seafood,” FDA Latin America Office Acting Director Michelle Rodriguez said at the signing ceremony. “To achieve our joint food safety goals, collaboration and information sharing is essential.”
The FDA’s proposed rule to revise the standard of identity and standard of fill of container for canned tuna comes in response to a citizen petition by canned tuna companies Bumble Bee Foods, StarKist Co, and Chicken of the Sea.
The rule features many proposed updates, including modifications to the weighing process for canned tuna, the removal of provisions for certain flavorings and spices, and the clarification of the use of specific additives. Additionally, changes seek to define “canned tuna” specifically as tuna packed in hermetically sealed rigid metal cans to differentiate it from pouch tuna products.
The administration is seeking input from industry stakeholders until November 24.
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