Dutch Seafood company, Crusta Oceans, has been certified as compliant with an international food safety standard.
The Food Safety Systems Certification (FSSC) 22000 is the first global standard for the entire industry, recognised by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI).
Director Arie Zuurmond said that the certification was an important step. “In 2015, we began small-scale with the sale of a few lobsters, actually more as an adventure,” he said. “We are now a specialised centre for live, fresh and frozen seafood, with a complete range of products for the catering industry and fish shops. With this certification, supervised by our quality manager Pieter Pasterkamp, we are anticipating the requirements for the future."
Crusta Oceans' range includes King crab, North Sea crab, European lobster and crayfish, complemented by mussels and oysters, including Zeeland flat and wild oysters, French and Irish creuses and all types of shellfish. The company has exclusive rights in the Netherlands to its speciality, King crab.
The shellfish are traded live and must be kept alive which presents a challenge. "You have to keep an eye on the systems 24 hours a day,” said Arie Zuurmond.
In addition to fresh produce, Crusta Oceans is currently working on expanding its range of frozen products as well as focusing on food safety and regular training. “We already comply with all requirements, but with this certification we choose to anticipate future developments. We set that requirement for ourselves, because we want to be among the best," concluded Arie Zuurmond.
