FDA alleges California crab, halibut importer violated food safety rules

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning letter to a California seafood firm, alleging violations of food safety rules.

Mr-Krabs-SpongeBob-SquarePants-300x214In an April letter stemming from February inspections, the government said that T&L Trading’s live king crab and halibut had been prepared, packed or held under insanitary conditions that may have rendered them injurious to health.

A phone call to the company in Montebello, California, on Thursday morning went unanswered.

Among the alleged violations, the company wasn’t in compliance with Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point regulations because it did not have product specifications designed to ensure fish and fishery products the company imports are not injurious to health or have not been processed under insanitary conditions, the FDA said.

The firm also did not monitor the safety of water that comes into contact with food or food-contact surfaces, the condition and cleanliness of food contact surfaces or the prevention of cross contamination with sufficient frequency to ensure compliance with good manufacturing practice requirements, the FDA said.