USA.- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports that, in August, 6 out of the 107 (5.6%) total seafood entry line refusals were of shrimp for reasons related to banned antibiotics.
This was the second highest number of entry lines refused for antibiotic contamination this year. Through August, there have been a total of 33 shrimp entry lines refused for reasons related to banned antibiotics:
The six shrimp entry line refusals in August were from exporters in two different countries – India and Malaysia:
– OceanBest (M) Sdn. Bhd. (Malaysia), a company that does not have an exemption from Import Alert 16-136 (“Detention Without Physical Examination of Aquacultured Shrimp and Prawns from Peninsular Malaysia Due to Presence of Drug Residues from Unapproved Animal Drugs or the Presence of Unsafe Food Additives”), had one entry line refused for shrimp contaminated with veterinary drug residues and unsafe additives by the Division of Northeast Imports on August 20, 2018;
– Royale Marine Impex Pvt. Ltd. (India), a company that was added to Import Alert 16-129 (“Detention Without Physical Examination of Seafood Products Due to Nitrofurans”) on August 9, 2018, had four entry lines refused for shrimp contaminated with veterinary drug residues by the Division of Southwest Imports on August 2, 2018; and
– Edhayam Frozen Foods PVT Ltd. (India), a company that has been added to both Import Alert 16-129 (“Detention Without Physical Examination of Seafood Products Due to Nitrofurans”) on July 27, 2018 and Import Alert 16-127 (“Detention Without Physical Examination of Crustaceans Due to Chloramphenicol”) on July 24, 2018, had one entry line refused for shrimp contaminated with chloramphenicol and deemed poisonous by the Division of Southwest Imports on August 2, 2018.
Further, the FDA reported refusing another two entry lines of shrimp for salmonella in August, both from India. The FDA has now refused 62 entry lines of shrimp for salmonella through the first eight months of 2018, of which the vast majority originate from India.
Source: Southern Shrimp Alliance
