Consumers enjoy eating a variety of seafood and can find many choices of fresh as well as frozen seafood in the refrigerated and freezer cases of grocery stores.Abigail Villalba, Extension Specialist, Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center Michael Jahncke, Professor, Food Science and Technology, and Director, Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center Michael Schwarz, Extension Specialist, Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center David Kuhn, Assistant Professor, Food Science and Technology, Virginia Tech Alisha Farris, Extension Specialist, Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise, Virginia Tech

Seafood processors must practice strict sanitary procedures to reduce contamination sources, thus providing consumers with high quality, wholesome foods. A routine sanitation monitoring program in place demonstrates that processors are actively maintaining a sanitary environment during processing.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as many as 11 million Americans have food allergies. A food allergy can trigger symptoms ranging from a tingling mouth, swelling of the tongue and throat, hives, and abdominal cramps to anaphylaxis and — in severe cases — death (CDC 2012). Consumers with known allergies must read labels to identify allergenic foods or ingredients on packaged products so they can more easily avoid them.

Have ever wondered what it would be like to consume raw milk? This publication reviews why we pasteurize milk and the risks you should consider before taking a taste.

This Virginia Cooperative Extension publication provides evidence‑based guidance for managing egg allergies, a common food allergy that can pose serious health risks. Developed by food safety and nutrition specialists at Virginia Tech, the guide helps consumers identify hidden egg ingredients on food labels, recognize foods that commonly contain eggs, and make safer choices when cooking, baking, and eating. It includes practical egg‑free substitutions and nutrition guidance to support adequate protein and vitamin A intake when eggs are avoided. Intended for individuals with egg allergies, caregivers, educators, and food service professionals, this resource supports food allergy awareness and risk reduction and reflects Extension’s land‑grant mission to protect public health through research‑based education.

This Virginia Cooperative Extension publication provides evidence‑based guidance for managing fish allergies, a major food allergy that can cause serious and life‑threatening reactions. Developed by food science and seafood safety specialists at Virginia Tech, the guide helps consumers identify hidden sources of fish in common foods, understand food label terminology, and recognize fish species that must be avoided. It also highlights unexpected foods that may contain fish ingredients and offers alternative protein sources to support adequate nutrition when fish is excluded from the diet. Intended for individuals with fish allergies, caregivers, educators, and food service professionals, this resource promotes food allergy awareness and risk reduction and reflects Extension’s land‑grant mission to protect public health through research‑based education.

This Virginia Cooperative Extension publication provides evidence‑based guidance for managing milk allergies, one of the most common food allergies affecting children and adults. Developed by food safety and nutrition specialists at Virginia Tech, the guide helps consumers identify hidden milk ingredients on food labels, recognize foods and products that contain milk proteins, and make safer dietary choices. It includes nutrition guidance and alternative food sources to help meet protein, calcium, and riboflavin needs when milk and dairy products are avoided, along with practical milk‑free substitutes for cooking and food preparation. Intended for individuals with milk allergies, caregivers, educators, and food service professionals, this resource supports food allergy awareness and risk reduction and reflects Extension’s land‑grant mission to protect public health through research‑based education.

This publication provides evidence‑based guidance for individuals managing peanut allergies, emphasizing allergen awareness, label literacy, and risk reduction through informed food choices. It identifies common foods, ingredients, and culinary contexts in which peanuts or peanut-derived proteins may be present, including baked goods, candies, fried foods, sauces, and various ethnic cuisines. The guide highlights hidden sources of peanut allergens and stresses the importance of carefully reading ingredient labels, particularly for products containing hydrolyzed plant proteins, flavorings, and oils. A comprehensive list of peanut-related ingredients to avoid is included to support consumer safety. The publication also clarifies distinctions among peanut oil processing methods, noting that highly refined peanut oil may be free of allergenic proteins while cold-pressed or expeller-pressed oils remain unsafe. Alternative food sources for essential nutrients such as protein are suggested.

Remember to ALWAYS read food labels carefully and watch for hidden allergens. Hidden allergens are ingredients derived from or containing major food allergens with common names that may be unfamiliar to consumers.

This Virginia Cooperative Extension publication provides practical guidance for individuals managing soy allergies. It outlines safe food substitutes, alternative protein sources, common foods and ingredients that may contain soy, and the importance of carefully reading food labels to identify hidden allergens. The guide also explains risks associated with cold‑pressed and expeller‑pressed soybean oils.

Remember to ALWAYS read food labels carefully and watch for hidden allergens. Hidden allergens are ingredients derived from or containing major food allergens with common names that may be unfamiliar to consumers.

This publication provides practical guidance for individuals managing wheat allergies, including an overview of foods and ingredients that must be avoided and suitable wheat‑free alternatives that supply essential nutrients such as complex carbohydrates, B‑vitamins, and fiber. It emphasizes the importance of carefully reading food labels to identify hidden sources of wheat and clarifies the distinction between wheat allergy and celiac disease, noting additional grains that must be avoided by individuals with gluten intolerance. Designed for consumers, educators, and health professionals, this resource supports safe food choices and informed dietary planning for those affected by wheat-related food allergies.

The purpose of this extension publication is to provide food processors with basic guidelines to follow and to use when discussing Coronavirus (COVID-19) controls during shared transportation and housing.

This publication is the second one of a series of publications titled "Strategies to control the spread of COVID at seafood processing plants". The information in each pub will have the same- title but dedicated to different areas of control. This one is about handwashing and PPE's.

This publication is the third one of a series of publications titled "Strategies to control the spread of COVID at seafood processing plants". The information in each pub will have the same title but dedicated to different areas of control. This one is about social distancing and physical barriers.

This publication is part of a series of publications titled "Strategies to control the spread of COVID at seafood processing plants". The information in this publication provides seafood processors with strategies that can be implemented to minimize exposure of the workforce to the COVID virus by using cleaning and disinfection practices.

This publication provides seafood processors with strategies to control and minimize the spread of COVID at seafood processing plants. The publication discusses steps that employers and employees must take to ensure the continuity of operations of essential functions when employees are returning to work after exposure to COVID.