Whole Foods sets sustainable standards for farmed mollusks

Whole Foods Market announced all farmed mollusks, including oysters, mussels, clams and scallops, will be subject to new sustainability standards that will be verified by a third party.

Mollusk farms will not be allowed to use pesticides and must ensure water quality, sediment health and protection of coastal environments while providing traceability from farm to store.

Products will now carry a “Responsibly Farmed” logo.

“As mollusks are becoming more popular and the seafood market more global, it’s increasingly important that our shoppers have responsibly sourced options they can trust,” Carrie Brownstein, Whole Foods Market’s global quality standards coordinator for seafood, and the creator of the new standards, said in a press release. “With Whole Foods Market’s farmed and wild-caught seafood standards in place, and third-party audits of farms, we’re doing the homework for our customers. They can rest easy knowing that any seafood choice they make in our stores is a conscious one.”

The mollusk standards were developed in collaboration with scientists and farmers.

The retailer said oyster sales have grown 10% in the past two years.

Whole Foods already has sustainability standards for farm-raised salmon, finfish and shrimp.

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