Certified Dietary Manager (CDM) Practice Exam

What role do shellfish tags play in food safety practices?

1. Enhancing customer experience

2. Providing marketing information

3. Tracing shellfish back to their source if illness occurs

4. Indicating cooking methods used

The correct answer is: Tracing shellfish back to their source if illness occurs

Shellfish tags play a crucial role in food safety practices primarily by providing traceability of shellfish back to their source. This is especially important in the event of a foodborne illness outbreak, where knowing the origin of the shellfish can help identify the source of contamination and prevent further illness. The tags include vital information such as the harvest location, the date of harvest, and the name of the harvester, allowing for effective tracking and quick action in case of health concerns. The importance of this traceability is underscored by regulations set forth by food safety authorities, which require food establishments to keep these tags for a certain period after the shellfish are sold. This ensures that any potential health risks can be quickly addressed, thereby safeguarding public health. The other options, while they may have relevance in different contexts, do not align as closely with the primary function of shellfish tags within food safety practices. Enhancing customer experience and providing marketing information may have beneficial aspects, but they do not serve the critical public health function of traceability that shellfish tags are designed for. Similarly, while cooking methods are important for food preparation, they are not the focus of shellfish tags in food safety.