Consumers of New Zealand Greenshell™ Mussels can be assured they are eating one of the safest mussels in the world.

For added food safety assurance New Zealand Greenshell™ Mussels are only grown and harvested in waters meeting or exceeding the USA National Shellfish Sanitation Program Water Quality Standards.

Unlike many countries that are producers of shellfish, New Zealand has very little heavy industry and few sources of pollution. New Zealand’s shellfish growing waters are some of the cleanest and most monitored waters in the world.

Strict rules apply to the harvesting of New Zealand Greenshell™ Mussels. Because all shellfish can be affected by run off from land based activities, rainfall levels in New Zealand growing waters are monitored by independent authorities. This ensures that mussels are only harvested when they are free from any unwanted micro-organisms carried by rain from the surrounding land.

New Zealand also leads the world in its research, understanding and monitoring of biotoxin events. All New Zealand Greenshell™ Mussel growing waters are regularly monitored for the presence of algal blooms. Algal blooms are naturally occurring marine phenomena and can occur any time within the marine environment. They are not specific to New Zealand waters. Shellfish filter food from the water column and because some algal blooms produce biotoxins, shellfish can concentrate these toxins in their flesh. The ability to ensure that shellfish are not harvested and consumed during a biotoxin event is a vital part of ensuring consumer confidence in New Zealand’s Greenshell™ Mussel products.

Although New Zealand has a small population base, New Zealand Greenshell™ Mussel farms are sited well away from cities and centers of high population density. In order to ensure that land-based activities do not cause adverse effects to the marine environment the industry works closely with land users to ensure that water quality is constantly maintained.

New Zealand Greenshell™ Mussels are processed to the highest food hygiene standards. New Zealand Greenshell™ Mussel processing plants are regularly audited by the USFDA, the European Union, New Zealand government agencies and other foreign country food safety regulators.