Lund's Fisheries of Cape May, N.J. is now accredited to conduct its own food safety inspections on all seafood that the company harvests, processes, and ships, after building up its own laboratory facilities and meeting international standards.
“The company's in-house lab equipment and testing protocols, built out over the last year, have met internationally recognized standards, and can now be used to test all Lund's products before going directly to consumers,” Lund’s said in a Sept. 27 announcement.
Before being sold, seafood products are required to be tested for microbiological contaminants such as E. coli, listeria, and salmonella. Most seafood products go to third-party laboratories to conduct tests, as few seafood companies in the U.S. have the in-house capability to test their own products.
“To develop this capacity for itself, Lund's Fisheries set out last summer to build out its testing capabilities, aligning them with international best standards and practices and finally getting them officially accredited this month,” according to the company.
"This accreditation recognizes our dedication to the quality and safety of our seafood," said Joshua Farinella, Lund's director of compliance and quality assurance. "Lund's now has direct control over the full chain of custody, so we can guarantee that any product meets our high standards from the boat to the plate."
Lund's Fisheries, Inc. is a third-generation, family-owned company and a primary producer of fresh and frozen seafood, with boats and plant facilities in Cape May, N.J. Lund's purchases, produces and distributes nearly 75 million pounds of fresh and frozen fish annually to domestic U.S. and export markets.
Accredited by Perry Johnson Laboratory Accreditation, Inc., Lund’s lab was confirmed to meet all international standards set forth by the International Organization for Standardization and the International Electrotechnical Commission (ISO/IEC 17025). The accreditation process tested all facets of the inspection process, validating the equipment used in inspections, as well as lab procedures, chain of custody protocols, staff proficiency, and other factors necessary for a well-regulated testing program.
Conducting accredited, in-house food safety inspections is one of many steps Lund's has taken to ensure the quality of its products. Several of the fisheries that the company participates in, such as Atlantic sea scallops, scup, and loligo and illex squid, have been certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council, the most rigorous international seafood certification available.
