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Seafood HACCP Compendium

Sea Urchin Receiving and Live Sale

HACCP Plan

Updated: 1/27/98

Prepared by:
Madelon Mottet, Ph.D.
Alaska-Southeast Bio-Research
Sitka Sea Farm
704 Sawmill Creek Blvd.
Sitka, Alaska 99835 USA
madelon@ptialaska.net
Tel/Fax (907) 747 3862

According to The Fish and Fisheries Products Hazards and Controls Guide 1966 put out by the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Seafood, sea urchins do not have any hazards except for chemicals either as pollutants in the environment or what may be added during processing such as alum.

I have never actually processed sea urchins (but they are growing naturally in with my oysters and I will probably have some to sell later this year). Since all the urchins will be coming from the same certified source, I am not worried about chemicals or checking tags. Also, there are no shucking stages, as I plan on selling them live. I have put in a 45 degree limiting temperature just because it is the standard for live oysters, and the sea urchins will be sharing the same refrigerator.

Madelon Mottet, Ph.D.
12/15/97

Hazard-Analysis Worksheet for Sea Urchins

 
(1)  
Ingredient/ processing step
(2)  
Identify potential hazards introduced, controlled or enhanced at this step
(3)   
Are any potential food- safety hazards significant? (Yes/No)
(4)   
Justify your decision for column 3.
(5) 
What preventative measures can be applied to prevent the significant hazards?
(6)
Is this step a critical control point? (Yes/No)
Receiving live sea urchins BIOLOGICAL   
Bacterial pathogen contamination
Yes

Sea urchins are assumed to be cooked. 
Sea urchins are easily contaminated with pathogens from harvesting waters.

Only accept shellstock from waters that have been tested and approved by DEC. 
Require proper tagging and harvester license. 
Assure that the shellstock is under temperature control with 20 hours of harvest. 

Yes
CHEMICAL  
Chemical contamination

Yes

Sea urchins could become contaminated with industrial pollutants.

Only accept shellstock from waters that have been tested and approved by DEC. 
Require proper tagging. 
Require proper harvester license. 

Yes
PHYSICAL 
None
       
Dry Cooler Storage BIOLOGICAL 
Bacterial Pathogen growth

No

Sea urchins are cooked before they are consumed. 

Cooler not to exceed 45°F for more than two hours

No

CHEMICAL 
None
       
PHYSICAL 
None
       
Making records of wholesale sales BIOLOGICAL 
Bacterial pathogen contamination

Yes

Product must be traced if there needs to be a recall

Make record in log book of each wholesale sale 
Attach tag if wholesaled to other than Sitka Sea Farm

Yes 

 
Firm Name and Address
Mail address: Dr. Madelon Mottet 
Sitka Sea Farm 
Alaska-Southeast Bio-Research 
704 Sawmill Creek Blvd. 
Sitka, AK 99835
Physical address of Bivalve Shellfish Packing Facility Fresh Fish Co. 
475 Katlian Ave. 
Sitka, AK 99835
Signature:
Date:
Product Description: Live, unshucked sea urchins 
Method of Storage and Distribution: Shipped with ice or frozen gel packs or refrigerated. 
Intended Use and Consumer: Raw consumption
HACCP Plan for Sea urchins
(1)
Critical Control Point (CCP)
(2)
Significant Hazard (s)
(3)
Critical Limits for each Preventive Measure
Monitoring
(8) 
Corrective Actions
(9)
Records
(10)
Verification
(4)
What 
(5)
How 
(6)
Frequency 
(7)
Who 
Receiving live sea urchins Chemical  Animals must be collected from an area free of chemical pollution  Visual check for Presence of tag Visual check Each time a new lot is received Person who puts sea urchins in cooler When product is not from Sitka Sea Farm, attach tag. Harvest tags held for 90 days Monthly record review when facility is operating 
Dry cooler storage Bacterial pathogen growth Cooler not to exceed 45°F for more than two hours Cooler temperature with thermometers Visual check of continuous thermometer Visual check of of continuous thermometer every day during use of cooler Person involved in marketing Adjust cooler temperature 
Hold and evaluate product based on total time of exposure to abusive temperature, or return to maricultr farm
Recorder chart or log of tempera-tures Monthly thermometer calibration 
Wholesale 
sales
Contamnated product may need to be recalled Keep a log of each wholesale sale Fill out out "Harvest Log Book." Visual Each wholesale sale Person involved in sales Fill in form Harvest Log Book. Monthly record review
Bacterial pathogen growth Each wholesale sale must have a shipping document so it is possible to determine the source of the product.  Wholesale boxes to other than Alaska-Southeast Bio-Research contain a shipping label. Visual Each wholesale box Packer Add declaration to any boxes lacking form. Copy of declaration slip will be kept on file. Packages will be checked each time product is wholesaled to other than Alaska-Southeast Bio-Research
 
Firm Name and Address
Mail address: Dr. Madelon Mottet 
Sitka Sea Farm 
Alaska-Southeast Bio-Research 
704 Sawmill Creek Blvd. 
Sitka, AK 99835
Physical address of Bivalve Shellfish Packing Facility Fresh Fish Co. 
475 Katlian Ave. 
Sitka, AK 99835
Signature:
Date:
Product Description: Live, unshucked sea urchins 
Method of Storage and Distribution: Shipped with ice or frozen gel packs or refrigerated. 
Intended Use and Consumer: Raw consumption
Sea Grant

Updated: 07/18/07

Update Log

Pamela D. Tom, SeafoodNIC Director
Background profile

Sea Grant Extension Program
Food Science & Technology Department
University of California
One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616

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