Seafood and Aquatic Life Group

CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Texas Crabmeat

Texas Shellfish

Before Buying or Selling Molluscan Shellfish in Texas

Information on Tags or Labels

Texas Crabmeat

A Texas Crabmeat License is required by any individual, partnership, corporation, association, or other legal entity who cooks, backs, picks, packs and/or pasteurizes Crabmeat in the State of Texas.

Out of Country Crabmeat

Texas Shellfish

A Texas Shellfish Certificate of Compliance is required by any individual, partnership, corporation, association, or other legal entity that buys molluscan shellfish (oysters, clams, or mussels) from a harvester and ships them in the shell, or shucks and packs them, or repacks molluscan shellfish (either shucked or in the shell) in the State of Texas.   All certified shellfish shippers are listed in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) publication  Interstate Certified Shellfish Shippers List.

Before Buying or Selling Molluscan Shellfish in Texas

• PURCHASE AND USE ONLY raw oysters, clams, mussels, or whole or roe-on scallops as shellstock (in-the-shell) or shucked shellfish (removed from the shell) that originates from certified interstate shellfish shippers.
  
• DO NOT purchase molluscan shellfish from recreational or commercially licensed shellstock harvesters or any other source not listed in the Interstate Certified Shellfish Shippers List, published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration;
  • that are not properly labeled or tagged; and
  • that, on arrival, do not have an internal meat temperature of (10^ø C) 50^ø F or less if shellstock, or (7^ø C) 45^ø F or less if shucked.
    
• PURCHASE AND USE ONLY raw oysters, clams, mussels, or whole or roe-on scallops as shellstock (in-the-shell) or shucked shellfish (removed from the shell) that originates from certified interstate shellfish shippers.
  
• DO NOT purchase molluscan shellfish from recreational or commercially licensed shellstock harvesters or any other source not listed in the Interstate Certified Shellfish Shippers List, published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration;
  • that are not properly labeled or tagged; and
  • that, on arrival, do not have an internal meat temperature of (10^ø C) 50^ø F or less if shellstock, or (7^ø C) 45^ø F or less if shucked.
    
• CHECK shellstock tags and shellfish labels upon receipt:
  • Train staff to know what to look for on a tag.
  • Post in the receiving area an example of a properly filled out tag and label;
  • verify that a shipper is in good standing each month by checking Shippers List.

LOOK For the Following Information on Tags or Labels:

SHELLSTOCK CONTAINER TAGS:

• the name, address and certification number of the certified shipper;
• the original shippers certification number (if different from above);
• the date of harvesting;
• the most precise identification of the harvest location as is practicable including the two letter state abbreviation; when the molluscan shellstock has been in wet storage in a dealer's operation, the tag shall state: "THIS PRODUCT IS A PRODUCT OF (Name of State) AND WAS WET STORED AT (Facility Certification Number) FROM (Date) TO (Date)" ;
• quantity and type of shellfish (example: 1 sack oysters); and the following statement in bold capitalized type on each tag:
• "THIS TAG IS REQUIRED TO BE ATTACHED UNTIL CONTAINER IS EMPTY AND THEREAFTER KEPT ON FILE FOR 90 DAYS" ; and the consumer information statement adopted by the ISSC or its equivalent as approved by the Seafood Safety Division.

SHUCKED SHELLFISH LABELS:

• the name, address, and certification number of the packer or repacker;
• on containers of unfrozen product less than one-half gallon, the words "Sell By" or "Best If Used By" followed by the name of the month and the day of the month;
• on containers of one-half gallon and larger the words "Date Shucked" followed by the date the product was shucked and also the date on the lid; and
• on frozen product the words "Best If Used By" followed by the date and frozen shellfish must also be labeled with the words "Frozen"; "Individually Quick Frozen", or "IQF" impressed, embossed, lithographed, or otherwise permanently recorded on the container. Stamping is not allowed, except for the date itself.
  
• STORE shellstock and shellfish properly:
  • separate from all other raw and cooked food;
  • reduce meat temperature for shellfish are to be reduced to 45° F within 2 hours of receipt;
  • ensure good air circulation around shellstock;
  • keep off the floor and up on pallets or shelves.
  • maintain lot source identification by tags, labels or record keeping;
  • do not commingle (mix) different lots or species;
  • file and retain the tag for 90 days after the container is emptied; and
  • keep records that indicate which shellfish are sold or served on which days.
    
• SELL AND SERVE only live shellstock:
  • for oysters, test by tapping open shells with a hard object and discard shellstock which does not close its shell; and
  • use a molluscan shell only once as a serving container and only for the oyster that comes in that shell.

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Texas Department of State Health Services, Environmental and Consumer Safety Section,
Seafood and Aquatic Life Group, 1100 West 49th Street - Austin, Texas 78756 - 512-834-6757

Last Updated August 7, 2006