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 | | WILD AMERICAN(R) SHRIMP COMPLETES TRAINING OF 100 CERTIFIED EVALUATORS TASKED WITH ENSURING THE HIGHEST STANDARDS IN WILD-CAUGHT SHRIMP | | | Wild American Shrimp, Inc. | | 11/05/2007 | | | Additional Licensed Trained Evaluators Makes More Certified Product Possible
Wild American(R) Shrimp, Inc. (WASI) announces today that it has completed the training of 100 Licensed Certified Evaluators (LTEs) who will ensure that wild-caught U.S. shrimp processed in facilities along the southern Gulf and Atlantic coasts meet the highest of standards.
"At a critical time in the marketplace, Wild American Shrimp is doing everything possible to guarantee that wild-caught shrimp is inspected and meets the stringent requirements necessary to be deemed Certified Wild American Shrimp," said Mario Piccinin, Director of Operations at WASI. "To that end, the completion of training for 100 certified evaluators will not only help ensure quality standards are met, but will increase the capacity to certify product."
"This means that consumers can rest assured that if their shrimp bears the Wild American Shrimp certification mark, it has passed through a rigorous evaluation process performed by qualified and trained experts," added Piccinin. "With food safety and certification issues increasingly in the headlines, WASI is proud to continually raise standards and continue its commitment to excellence."
Evaluators at the processing facilities volunteered for the certification program and completed two days of intensive training in the areas of sensory, defect determination, documentation and new laboratory procedures. Five training sessions were held between January and May in Port Isabel, Texas; Pascagoula, Miss.; Baton Rouge, La.; Charleston, S.C.; and Gainesville, Fla. To train the evaluators, WASI assembled a team of experts from the eight coastal state university sea grant programs, including James Barnett, the recently retired national sensory expert from the Food and Drug Administration.
The WASI-trained evaluators will begin certifying product on June 1. Previously, this function was handled by U.S. Department of Commerce (USDC) inspectors. While WASI's certified evaluators will assume responsibility for this role next month, USDC inspectors are invited to receive the certification training offered by WASI and will continue to conduct initial facility audits at shrimp processing plants.
WASI Employs New Inspection System, Team of Coordinators
Earlier this year, WASI rolled out a new inspection system with higher quality standards for Certified Wild American Shrimp than current standards provide. The new system, implemented through WASI's Certification Program, defines three new quality standards designed to assure high quality of shrimp, including Vessel Grade, Shell On, and Peeled. All three standards test the product for quality, texture, freshness and flavor; also Shell On and Peeled have a standard to test for uniformity of size. WASI's inspection system relies on its newly trained certified evaluators to conduct the inspections and document the findings for all wild-caught U.S. shrimp that carry the Certified Wild American Shrimp mark.
In addition, WASI has employed a new Certification Coordinator team to oversee its inspection system. The team of experts will be responsible for three geographic regions on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. They will review audits and assist processing plants in addressing any deficiencies in preliminary systems and verification audits. In addition, they will periodically conduct product samplings and audits as necessary. The certification coordinators will serve as liaisons to the plants' certified evaluators and ensure that they've received the proper training. Regular site visits will be conducted to assess their evaluation capabilities and processes and conduct additional training as needed.
About Wild American(R) Shrimp, Inc.
Wild American Shrimp, Inc. (WASI) devotes its resources to raising public awareness about the many nutritional and economic benefits of domestic, wild- caught shrimp. It is designed to educate consumers about the advantages of selecting Certified Wild American Shrimp that grows naturally, is caught fresh and supports the shrimp industry of eight Gulf and South Atlantic states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Texas, and South Carolina.
The Wild American Shrimp Certification Program, administered by WASI, ensures that warm-water, wild caught shrimp from U.S. coastal waters meet a high standard of quality and consistency. Shrimp that meet these stringent standards are graded by new standards and labeled with the distinctive Certified Wild American Shrimp mark. More than 50 approved suppliers provide this quality product to processors, distributors, retailers, grocers and restaurants who rely on the quality and consistency of the certification and the Certified Wild American Shrimp logo to distinguish their product. Participation in the certification program is available to harvesters, processors, distributors, retailers, grocers, and restaurateurs.
SOURCE Wild American Shrimp, Inc. | |
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