[StBernard] FDA Bans Seafood from China including Shrimp

[Westley Annis]

FDA Bans Seafood from China including Shrimp 
 

 
FDA is concerned about long term exposure as well as the possible
development of antibiotic resistance. 

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced a broader import
control of all farm-raised catfish, basa, shrimp, dace (related to carp),
and eel from China. FDA will start to detain these products at the border
until the shipments are proven to be free of residues from drugs that are
not approved in the United States for use in farm-raised aquatic animals. 

The levels of the drug residues that have been found in seafood are very
low, most often at or near the minimum level of detection. FDA is not
seeking recall of products already in U.S. commerce and is not advising
consumers to destroy or return imported farm-raised seafood they may already
have in their homes

This action by FDA, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, will protect American consumers from unsafe residues that have
been detected in these products. There have been no reports of illnesses to
date.

"We're taking this strong step because of current and continuing evidence
that certain Chinese aquaculture products imported into the United States
contain illegal substances that are not permitted in seafood sold in the
United States," said Dr. David Acheson, FDA's assistant commissioner for
food protection. "We will accept entries of these products from Chinese
firms that demonstrate compliance with our requirements and safety
standards."

During targeted sampling from October 2006 through May 2007, FDA repeatedly
found that farm-raised seafood imported from China were contaminated with
antimicrobial agents that are not approved for this use in the United
States. 

The contaminants were the antimicrobials nitrofuran, malachite green,
gentian violet, and fluoroquinolone. Nitrofuran, malachite green, and
gentian violet have been shown to be carcinogenic with long-term exposure in
lab animals. The use of fluoroquinolones in food animals may increase
antibiotic resistance to this critically important class of antibiotics. 

None of these substances is approved for use in farm-raised seafood in the
United States, and the use of nitrofurans and malachite green in aquaculture
is also prohibited by Chinese authorities. Chinese officials have
acknowledged that fluoroquinolones are used in Chinese aquaculture and are
permitted for use in China.

The FDA action includes conditions under which an exporter can be exempted
from FDA's detention action by providing specified information to the agency
This information must demonstrate the exporter has implemented steps to
ensure its products do not contain these substances and that preventive
controls are in place. The additional import controls placed on seafood from
China will last as long as needed. 

FDA may allow the entry into the United States and subsequent distribution
into the marketplace of individual shipments of the Chinese farm-raised
seafood products if the company provides documentation to confirm the
products are free of residues of