Ecuador is the world’s largest exporter of white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei), and the United States is one of its most demanding destinations. For US buyers, a compliant entry comes down to three pillars: FDA registration, HACCP-based preventive controls, and an unbroken, documented cold chain.
Every foreign facility shipping seafood to the US must be FDA-registered, and importers must verify their suppliers under the Seafood HACCP regulation (21 CFR 123). On the Ecuadorian side, that means working with BASC-certified packers, IQF processing to specification (whole, HLSO, PD or PUD), and temperature logs from pond to port. Buyers should also verify sodium metabisulfite residue compliance — the FDA limit is 100 ppm in the edible portion.
KATUNA Trade coordinates sourcing from certified farms, pre-shipment audits and the full export documentation package — sanitary certificates, certificates of origin and FDA prior notice support. If your program targets Europe instead, our sourcing guide for European importers covers EU entry requirements. Talk to our team before your next program.
