The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that it has partnered with the Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (JIFSAN) at the University of Maryland to offer a training module for aquaculture producers to help them comply with FDA regulations for importing seafood. JIFSAN houses the online training on its website and provides certificates of completion to those who take it.

The U.S. imports approximately 90 percent of its seafood. The training course is designed for foreign producers who export their products to the U.S., and may be useful for foreign regulators. FDA receives numerous inquiries each year from importers and producers of seafood, particularly about the chemicals or drugs they are using or would like to use. The new module is designed to clarify how FDA regulates drugs for aquaculture, and provides information to help identify what drugs may be used and how they should be used to prevent unacceptable residues. The course also includes a section on the judicious use of antimicrobials.