Oysters — Fresh, Chilled, Frozen, Dried, Salted or in Brine

The National Shellfish Sanitation Program is a cooperative federal-state-industry framework administered with FDA oversight that establishes sanitation standards for shellfish harvest, processing, and distribution. For imports, FDA requires that the exporting country have a memorandum of understanding demonstrating equivalency with NSSP standards. Oysters from countries without such an agreement are generally not admissible for live or raw consumption in the US.

Yes. Live and fresh-chilled oysters must meet the strictest NSSP traceability and time-temperature requirements and are subject to rapid perishability constraints at the port. Frozen oysters still require NSSP-equivalent certification for the harvest area but allow more flexibility in logistics. Dried or salted oysters may be treated as processed seafood products, potentially subject to different labeling and HACCP documentation requirements under FDA's seafood regulations.