5‑31 Depuration of shellfish5‑31 Depuration of shellfish

5‑31 Depuration of shellfish

(1) Shellfish for depuration must be clean and practically free from mud and weed. (2) Water used for depuration of shellfish must: (a) be practically free from turbidity; and (b) be of a salinity, temperature, dissolved oxygen level and pH necessary for the normal physiological functioning of shellfish; and (c) unless it is sourced from an area in an open status and classified by the Australian Shellfish Export Standards as: (i) an Approved or Conditional Approved harvesting area; or (ii) an Approved Remote area; be treated so that it does not contain detectable levels of the coliform group per 100 millilitres.

Note: The Approved classification criteria apply to the Approved or Conditional Approved harvesting areas and the Approved Remote area. Water from an area in an open status that is classified as a Restricted or Conditional Restricted harvesting area will require treatment.

(3) Depuration of shellfish must achieve an effective reduction of pathogens in the shellfish: (a) by reducing E. coli in the shellfish in accordance with Standard 1.6.1 of the Food Standards Code; or (b) if the approved arrangement for operations to prepare the shellfish for export provides for a different method to achieve an effective reduction of pathogens in the shellfish—by using the different method. (4) If paragraph (3)(b) applies, the approved arrangement must provide for measures to validate the effectiveness of the different method in achieving an effective reduction of pathogens that could adversely affect the fitness for human consumption of the shellfish. (5) Shellfish must be depurated for at least 36 hours without interruption. (6) Shellfish must be depurated in sufficient water to achieve effective depuration.