Shellfish Growing Water Classification

Abstract Seafood‐related illnesses in the United States are primarily associated with the consumption of bivalve molluscan shellfish. These animals are water filter feeders and are often consumed raw, and the quality of their growing waters affect the safety and quality of the shellfish. Water authorities, usually producer states, monitor the quality of the water in and around the shellfish beds or reefs according to guidelines adopted by the National Shellfish Sanitation Program. For commercial markets, harvesting is only permitted from approved growing areas. Growing areas are classified for their microbiological acceptability on the basis of a sanitary survey of the shoreline to detect potential pollution sources and bacteriological analysis of water samples taken from the area. In general, each growing area is classified as approved, conditionally approved, restricted, conditionally restricted, or prohibited based on the results of the surveys. Rules for classification of shellfish growing waters have been established to provide the safest shellfish possible. Illness caused by the consumption of human pathogens that are present in raw molluscan shellfish are rare because of these rules for classification.