Retail Industry Best Practices and Regulatory Guidance Toolkit for Shellstock Investigations

A. The industry committee developed documents for use in retail establishments. The documents utilize colorful and eye-catching aspects with reduced wording and graphics to visually engage food employees.

1. "Shellstock Tags" is for person in charge and explains a three-step process to properly Keep, Record and File the tags. It provides a graphics, explains why the tags are to be kept for 90 days, and a QR code to access the Interstate Certified Shellfish Shippers List.
2. "Shellstock Tag Procedures" is simplified for the food worker and provides the three-step process to Keep, Record and File the tags. Graphics show a tag and where to record the date when the last product was used.
3. Both documents are available in English and Spanish. To achieve a broader outreach an "Shellstock Tag Procedures Iinfographic" with dual languages was also created.

B. The regulator committee developed a toolkit for regulators. The committee developed five documents for the toolkit.

4. "Anatomy of Shellstock Tags" has an image of a large shellstock tag with explanatory language for the various fields on the tag.
5. A document called "Molluscan Shellfish the Basics" provides simple, clear information for regulators who are unfamiliar with shellfish.
6. A "Shellfish Code Language Table" is a "one-stop" document with the FDA Food Code requirements for shellstock and shucked shellfish.

C. The next two documents help investigators with environmental assessments (EAs) of shellfish-related outbreaks.

7. The "Molluscan Shellfish Environmental Investigation Field Worksheet" is a multi-page document investigators can use to record information collected during EAs.
8. The "Molluscan Shellfish Retail & Food Service Investigation Field Checklist" is designed for investigators to determine what they will focus on during EAs.

List of available documents:

1) Shellstock Tag Procedures - English
2) Shellstock Tag Procedures - Spanish
3) Shellstock Tag Procedures Infographic
4) Shellstock Tags - English
5) Shellstock Tags - Spanish
6) Anatomy of Shellstock Tags
7) Molluscan Shellfish the Basics
8) Shellfish Code Language Table
9) Molluscan Shellfish Environmental Investigation Field Worksheet
10) Molluscan Shelllfish Investigation Field Checklist