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 Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference (ISSC) , an 

 organization of Federal agencies, State officials, and the 

 shellfish industry works with FDA to establish the uniform 

 guidelines and procedures that are used by the shellfish 

 control agencies of the States that belong to the NSSP. The 

 NSSP and the ISSC operate together as a vital adjunct to the 

 Federal seafood safety program. 



The National Academy of Sciences has concluded that molluscan 

 shellfish consumed raw or partially cooked probably cause the 

 majority of illnesses associated with seafood in the United 

 States. This is not surprising because flesh foods consumed 

 raw are inherently more risky than flesh foods that are 

 adequately cooked. In addition, molluscan shellfish are 

 non-motile filter feeders that pump large quantities of water 

 through their bodies and can absorb and concentrate many types 

 of contaminants that may be in the water. 



The majority of illnesses that are thought to occur from raw 

 molluscan shellfish are mild gastrointestinal illnesses that 

 are quickly resolved and are difficult to diagnose. More 

 serious illnesses can occur but are uncommon. Such diseases as 

 typhoid fever and infectious hepatitis are still comnonly 

 associated with raw molluscan shellfish in lesser developed 

 countries but are largely controlled in the United States. 



