Supports the current recommendation in the DAR regarding the classification of pearl meat using solely the abductor muscle. Specifically that it has been excluded, along with other similar products, from the high risk ‘Bivalve Mollusc’ class of product.
Attaches a draft review completed by WA Fisheries showing that bivalve abductor muscle, such as pearl meat and scallops, are one of the safer forms of seafood available.
To their knowledge, there have been no instances of food poisoning or other illness caused by consumption of pearl adductor meat in over 50 years.
Over 1000 people working for or with the company with access to pearl meat with no ill effects.
Pearl farms are located in remote pristine wilderness areas in northern Australia, with no permanent populations or pollution sources.
Paspaley Pearling has also commissioned a heavy metal analysis from pearl farms across 5 sites carried out by NT Environmental Laboratories (NATA accredited) and the results show all of the values for heavy metals in the pearl meat at all sites are below the maximum limits as outlined in the Code – attaches a copy of analysis report.
Heavy metal analysis results: inorganic arsenic (max 1 mg/kg) – results 0.17-0.89; cadmium (max 2 mg/kg) – results 0.20-0.62; lead (max 2 mg/kg) – results <0.01-0.04; zinc (no max) – results 10.3-75.2
Also attached – an outline of a proposal to do laboratory-based feeding experiments to quantify any accumulation of algal biotoxins in the adductor and viscera of pearl oysters. Experiment proposal submitted by Janet Howieson and Walter Arrow.
Endorses the Standard in its current form, recommending that (7.4) Option 3 be adopted.
Raises a concern about ‘co-mingling’. Believes that while co-mingling of seafood from different sources may not in itself present an elevated level of risk of food safety, for traceability and consumer confidence reasons, the Standard should ensure that co-mingling is not permitted in the market place.
States that from a state/region perspective, traceability via the provision of not permitting the practice of co-mingling produce from various sources at the market, would allow adaptive management of the program to prevent any further illness in the event of food-borne illness.
