from food safety news: The White House announced Wednesday it has shipped about 2,000 pounds of shrimp and crabs from the Gulf to serve at this year’s holiday parties, a big gesture aimed at boosting consumer confidence in regional seafood in the wake of the devastating BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

“Since day one, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have been working with other Federal agencies and state officials to closely monitor seafood in the Gulf and ensure that the seafood that makes it to your grocery store or restaurant is safe to eat,” wrote White House executive chef Chris Comerford on the White House blog Wedneday…

In September, Comerford and Hamburg traveled to the Gulf to talk seafood safety. In August, the First Family vacationed in the Gulf and dined on local seafood to help promote both tourism and seafood. The White House also hosted reigning Super Bowl champs, the New Orleans Saints, to honor their win and tout the safety and deliciousness of Gulf seafood.