It was the early 1990’s.
I was shrimp processing plant director in Ecuador for Marine Harvest International, the first pure aquaculture play on the US stock market (AMEX) after we sold off our fishing boats, tuna operations, branded golf club manufacturer and restaurant chain.
I recall discussing with MHI President (C.F. Woodhouse) how exactly we wanted to approach the food safety angle at MHI and, of course as an aquaculture company.
MHI was once part of Unilever that had huge fishmeal and seafood interests in Chile at the time.
Of course it was very important to get the right PR as well.
On the salmon side (UK & Chile) the push was for food safety standards based on ISO. More an EU initiative.
This was also supported by the US NMFS that thought that seafood imports should be under their jurasdiction just like USDA controls beef….but or because the…..
USFDA were promoting the NASA developed HACCP program for seafood.
MHI Shrimp division in 1994 became the test bed for the US FDA HACCP program and I rolled out and commercially pilot tested and shaped the first HACCP system and also to wider shrimp and banana export industry in Ecuador pre 1997.
That was the year enacted into US National Law.
The rest is history. HACCP has been proven commercially now over 20 years at FDA. Adopted globally and rolled out across all foods.
Is that bit of the history of salmon and food safety standards/certifications recorded in the Intrafish article? Drew?
Following shrimp is a definite…..
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