Staph & Listeria Concerns May Force Shutdown Of Fish Company
The violations of the federal Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulations documented by the FDA pose a public health hazard because, without adequate controls, products made by Captain’s Select Seafood could harbor pathogenic bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes. Food products with these kinds of pathogens can cause serious illnesses in people who eat them.
With that, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration announced today (6/6/08) that it was seeking a permanent injunction against seafood processor Captain's Select Seafood, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn., and two of its top officers for violating the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act). The U.S. Justice Department Minnesota District is handling the case.
FDA says Captain's Select Seafood has a history of violations and a record of failure to take corrective action.
There was no mention of the action on the company's website, which can be found here.
According to the site, Captain's Select Seafood has been in business since 1995, supplying restaurants and operating a retail store on its premises.
FDA actions against the company go back four years. A "permanent injunction" amounts to a death sentence for Captain's.
“We simply can’t allow a company to put the public’s health at risk by not having adequate procedures and plans to produce safe food,” said Margaret O’K. Glavin, associate commissioner for regulatory affairs. “Our warning letters should not be taken lightly. We will take action against companies and against their executives who violate the law and endanger public health.”
I believe this happened to Coastal Seafood last year Due to some paperwork issues.
Our family has been buying from Captain's for 10 years and have never encountered a problem, in fact we will go out of our way to buy from them because their seafood is awesome. The owners are the nicest people.
Good Luck to them!
Since my impeccable reputation is at stake here too, I offer the following comments:
This particular compliance officer from the Minneapolis District of the Food & Drug Administration has exercised abuse of power and aggressively attempted to force two seafood companies out of business for benign violations.
There have been no reported illnesses from product sold by either of these companies. In fact, they both share a long history of supplying safe, quality seafood to their customers.
Minnesota has about a dozen seafood processors. The Minneapolis FDA has tried to put two of those companies out of business since 2007. That is more than the entire country of about 1700 similar seafood companies!
These frivolous actions by this district of the FDA have put a tremendous financial burden on Coastal Seafood (Worldwide) and Captain's Select Seafood, and damaged their good reputations, possibly beyond repair.
The focus of any investigation should be on the practices of the Minneapolis District of the Food & Drug Administration, and the qualifications and/or competence of its seafood compliance division.
WILLIAM SPINALI
I agree. Been buying fish there for years. I didn't even know they made "seafood products". It's great that the government clamps down on paperwork issues then gives a green light to feedlots, growth horomones, antibiotics, and genetic engineering.
I feel safer already and am glad our tax money is being used wisely.