What is the purpose of shellfish identification tags?

The purpose of shellfish identification tags is crucial for food safety and public health. These tags serve to trace the source of the shellfish in the event that there is a report of foodborne illness associated with their consumption. This traceability allows health authorities to quickly investigate and identify the source of contamination, helping to prevent further cases of illness and facilitating recalls if necessary. By linking the shellfish back to their harvesting locations, these tags play a vital role in ensuring that shellfish products are safe for consumption and that any risks can be effectively managed.

While other options highlight important aspects, they do not capture the primary function of these tags. Monitoring shellfish quality during transport is important but secondary to tracing health sources. Providing nutritional information is valuable for consumer awareness but not the purpose of shellfish tags. Indicating expiration dates is relevant for food safety, yet it does not relate to the identification and traceability function of the tags.