"Unfortunately, we are unable to answer your call due to government shutdown."

That's the recorded message you'll hear right now if you call the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's division for seafood safety, in the event that you were looking for information about, say, the inspection of thousands of tons of imported foreign shrimp entering the country, shrimp that often poses a risk of contamination from salmonella, decomposition (aka rotting), and other common problems.

With the government shutdown heading into its second week, the agency responsible for the safety of roughly 80% of the national food supply has had to suspend the majority of its inspection activity.

We talked to experts familiar with FDA food safety regulations to understand what this means for American consumers. Here's what you should know: