Seafood Requires Higher FDA Regulations

By: Jazmin Otero

Figure 1. Pathogen exposure from sea water to marine life to humans (Shapiro et al, 2018)

The fishing industry is relied on by many grocery stores and restaurants for human consumption. The  FDA has many regulations for seafood to be safe for human health before it is able to be consumed or bought. Seafood, specifically mussels, is regulated to avoid any disease outbreaks since they are exposed to many water contaminants like oil or sewage water. Fecal matter is a water contaminant that has been observed at the central coast of California, USA. (Shapiro et al, 2018) E. coli, Giardia, Salmonella, and a few other infectious diseases were found in mussels and overland runoff at high rates that surpassed FDA regulations. (Shapiro et al, 2018) The FDA would have to establish new regulations in order to avoid any disease outbreaks due to human consumption of infected seafood. The FDA will also need to implement new requirements for civilizations near the coastline to minimize or completely avoid waste contaminants like fecal matter in reaching the sea water.

Original article
Shapiro K, Silver M, Byrne BA, Berardi T, Aguilar B, Melli A, Smith WA. (2018). Fecal indicator bacteria and zoonotic pathogens in marine snow and California mussels (Mytilus californianus). FEMS Microbiology Ecology 94:11