Group Award for Leveraging Activities - 2001 FDA Science Forum

Board E11

FDA is responsible for seafood safety. In the case of natural toxins in shellfish, which can be a significant hazard to consumers, the risk has generally been managed by monitoring the shellfish for toxicity. While this is necessary, it has fundamental limits when used alone. We are investigating the use of volunteer observer networks to gather information that the state shellfish programs can use to focus toxicity monitoring on the times, locations, and toxins of greatest concern, thus making the overall program more effective and less expensive. Such networks are currently operating in several states on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. Through the participation of citizen volunteer observers we are leveraging the limited resources of the FDA and states to assure a higher level of seafood safety than would otherwise be possible.