Certified Group announced June 11 that FDA has approved its validated analytical method for detecting perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) in frozen clams — a move that gives seafood importers a defensible testing pathway as federal regulators escalate enforcement under Import Alert 99-48.
The Melville, N.Y.-based food-safety laboratory developed the method under direct FDA guidance, securing agency sign-off for the frozen-clam matrix. Beyond that specific approval, Certified Group says PFAS screening is now available across nearly all seafood matrices, positioning the lab as a full-spectrum resource for operators and suppliers managing contaminated-shipment exposure.
For commercial foodservice operators, the timing is operationally significant. PFAS-related import detentions have created supply-chain friction for protein buyers across QSR, fast-casual, and full-service segments, particularly for shellfish and value-added frozen seafood that move through import channels. Procurement teams navigating detained shipments now have a third-party method with explicit FDA backing to accelerate re-inspection and release decisions, rather than relying on less-validated in-house or offshore testing protocols.
The broader regulatory backdrop reinforces demand for accredited PFAS methods. FDA's Import Alert 99-48 targets seafood with potential chemical-contamination risk, and PFAS compounds — sometimes called "forever chemicals" — have drawn increasing scrutiny from both federal agencies and state-level regulators. Foodservice distributors and chain operators sourcing imported clams, shrimp, or finfish face potential menu disruptions if shipments are detained without a clear testing and appeal mechanism in place.
Certified Group's FDA-approved method offers a documented compliance path: importers can present validated third-party data to support the release of detained product or to demonstrate due diligence in sourcing audits. For chain procurement officers and food-safety directors, integrating a lab with an FDA-approved methodology into supplier qualification programs is a logical next step given the current enforcement climate. Supply-chain partners and food-safety compliance contacts in the distributor network should evaluate current seafood sourcing protocols against PFAS risk exposure, particularly for frozen shellfish categories. Additional context on ingredient-supply disruptions affecting commercial operators is available in recent supply chain coverage from the Food & Beverage Magazine network at fb101.com.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.