Feds Halt Portland Shellfish Co. Distribution

WASHINGTONMaine-based Portland Shellfish Co. Inc., has agreed to stop shipping ready-to-eat lobster, shrimp and crab products after tests uncovered the presence of Listeria, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Jan. 20.

Jeffrey D. Holden, company president; Satyavan Singh, quality manager; and John A. Maloney, general manager, signed a consent decree prohibiting them from distributing seafood in interstate commerce until FDA has approved the companys HACCP plans, sanitation program and Listeria monocytogenes testing program.

The decree stems from evidence that Portland Shellfish violated the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act by introducing into interstate commerce food that was prepared, packed or held under insanitary conditions. The decree also allows the FDA to order a shutdown, recall or other corrective action in the event of future violations and requires Portland Shellfish to pay the costs of inspections performed pursuant to the decree. Failure to abide by the agreement also can lead to civil or criminal penalties.

The company has issued four recalls in the past two years due to Listeria contamination and potential contamination of its RTE product. Previous FDA inspections documented insanitary conditions at Portland Shellfish's facilities and ongoing violations of applicable regulations.

The company sells RTE seafood products to retailers in California, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey and Washington state.