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 A major part of our retail cooperative program has involved the 

 development of model codes containing retail handling 

 requirements for foods, some of which have been widely adopted 

 by State and local governments. FDA is now consolidating those 

 model codes into a single, updated food code for the retail 

 sector. HACCP-type controls for seafood hazards at retail are 

 included. 



Such controls are needed. The National Academy of Sciences 

 concluded in its 1991 study of seafood safety that the greatest 

 microbiological risk associated with seafood other than raw 

 molluscan shellfish appears to be mishandling at the retail and 

 food service (post processing) levels. We commend Giant Food 

 for its participation in the retail pilot HACCP program 

 operated by FDA and NOAA last year. That pilot was aimed at 

 determining the feasibility of adopting HACCP controls within 

 the retail food sector. 



K. Federal/State Activities: Chemical Contaminants 



FDA currently has one tolerance, or binding legal limit, for a 

 seafood contaminant. That tolerance is for polychlorinated 

 biphenyls, or "PCB's." FDA also has "action levels" for 

 contaminants in seafood that include methyl mercury, paralytic 

 shellfish poison, histamine in canned tuna, and 13 pesticides. 

 Action levels are not binding, however, and serve as guidance 



