Amongst foods, seafood is the most perishable of all. It is harvested and processed
in a wide array of circumstances, often in remote, under-equipped and unsanitary
conditions. Therefore shrimp, whether wild-caught or cultured, is subjected to a
wide range of safety hazards. This has prompted the importing countries to tighten
quality requirements, revising food sanitation laws and hygienic standards, which
often results in import restrictions and embargoes. The impact of globalization and
liberalization on international trade is driving us towards the establishment of a
harmonized system of food inspection. Exporting countries recognize the need for
such a harmonization and are forced to incorporate changes in their inspection,
quality control and environmental regulations. The international scientific community
has agreed on the benefits of applying the principles of Hazard Analysis Critical
Control Points (HACCP), a system that is based on establishing preventive controls
for attaining food safety. When HACCP is applied by the industry, health hazards
are prevented or minimized. More importantly, HACCP is not a system operated by
the government. The role of government regulatory agencies such as the United
States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) is limited to verification. USFDA,
through its inspections, verifies that the HACCP systems established and operated
by the industry are adequate and working, and implements corrective action(s)
when they are not