IA #16-23 - Revised 07/09/96, Attachment - 5/1/92 SUBJECT : "***Detention Without Physical Examination ***of Fresh and Frozen Lobster/Lobster Tails from India" TYPE OF ALERT: ***Detention Without Physical Examination*** Note: This is alert is being revised to provide changes to format and/or terminology and are bracketed by asterisks (***). ***(NOTE: This import alert contains guidance to FDA field personnel only. It does not establish any requirments, or create any rights or obligations on FDA or on regulated entitie.)*** PRODUCT : Fresh or Frozen Lobster/Lobster Tails PRODUCT CODE : 16J__04 PROBLEM : Decomposition (MSDC) COUNTRY : India (IN, 455) MANUFACTURER/ SHIPPER : N/A IMPORTER'S ID# : N/A CHARGE : "The article is subject to refusal of admission pursuant to Section 801(a)(3) in that it appears to consist in whole or in part of a filthy, putrid, or decomposed substance, or is otherwise unfit for food in that it appears to be decomposed [Adulteration, Section 402(a)(3)."] RECOMMENDING OFFICE : Division of Import Operations and Policy (HFC-170) REASON FOR ALERT : From October 1, 1982, through March 31, 1983, FDA detained 14 of 32 entries of fresh/frozen lobster/lobster tails from India examined for decomposition (44% violation rate). Twelve of the detentions were solely for decomposition. Two were for both salmonella and decomposition. FY 91 detention data shows five detentions representing five different firms in India. Review of sample collections and analyses data for FY 91 revealed that 13 had been collected with 4 violations for decomposition (31%). Also two of the four violative samples were from firms in the exempt list (Castlerock Seafoods and Sawant Food Products). No detention data for Salmonella were noted although this should not be overlooked as a possible problem area. GUIDANCE : ***Districts may detain, without physical examination***, all fresh/frozen lobster tails from India, except those firms on the attachment. If a sufficient number of violative samples are noted for exempt firms, recommend to DIOP that these firms be removed from exempt status. Audit of private laboratory results which are negative for decomposition is also recommended. ***For questions or issues concerning science, science policy, sample collection, analysis, preparation, or analytical methodology, contact the Division of Field Science at (301) 443-3320 or 3007.*** KEYWORDS : Lobster, Tails, Decomposition FOI : No purging is required PREPARED BY : Linda Wisniowski, DIOP, (301) 443-6553 Attachment - Import Alert #16-23 5/1/92 Packers Excluded from Detention Without Physical Examination Alsa Marine & Harvests 10 Taylors Road Kilpauk, Chennai 600010 India Amulya Sea Foods 166-A North Beach Road Tuticorin, India Castlerock Seafoods Pvt. Ltd. 203 Dalamil Chambers New Marine Lines Bombay, India 400020 Cham ice and Cold Storage (a/k/a Cham Marine Products Pvt. Ltd.) (a/k/a Cham Trading Organization) Porbandar, India Haravati Ice and Cold Storage Fish Market Porbandar Gujarat, India 360575 King Fisheries, Ltd. Cochin, India Ravi Fisheries Pvt. Ltd. (Ravi Fish Industries Pvt. Ltd.) Bombay, India Sawant Fisheries Pvt. Ltd. (Sawant Food Products Ltd.) Bombay, India