Contamination Found in Chinese Sea Food Imports

According to a press release from the Food and Drug Administration, the FDA announced expanded controls on imports of several kinds of Chinese seafood. The FDA announced on Thursday that basa, farm raised catfish, a relative of carp named dace, and eel imported from China will now be detained at the border.

The FDA is not enacting a recall. No illnesses have been reported at this time, and the FDA is only concerned about adverse health effects from prolonged ingestion of the contaminants.

The products will be detained at the border; after they are tested and it is proven that they are not contaminated they will be released.

These types of products imported from China have tested positive for several contaminants that the FDA previously ruled as unsafe for use in United States seafood. These contaminants were discovered during sample testing conducted between October 2006 and May 2007. The contaminants are antimicrobial chemicals and include: gentian violet, malachite green, nitrofuran, and fluoroquinolone. The level of the chemicals found in the Chinese imports was low.

Three of the chemicals discovered are also banned in China:gentian violet, malachite green, and nitrofuran. The FDA conducted long term studies of exposure to these chemicals on mice, and found the chemicals were carcinogenic. Fluoroquinolone is not carcinogenic but prolonged ingestion of it is concerning because it may lead to increased resistance to antibiotics; use of the antimicrobial in seafood is allowed in China. Fluoroquinolones are vitally important antibiotics.

Dr. David Achison the FDA's assistant commissioner for food protection reportedly stated: "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. We will accept entries of these products from Chinese firms that demonstrate compliance with our requirements and safety standards."

The FDA has provided an avenue for Chinese companies to seek exemptions to the import limitations. The companies must provide specified safety information to the FDA, including safety measures and preventative controls, to qualify for the exemption.

The FDA's detention action is open-ended; the administration plans to continue automatically detaining imports until it feels the action is no longer necessary.

The FDA's announcement comes on the heels of several high profile cases of contaminated products imported from China surfacing in United States markets. The most notable case involved pet food ingredients imported from China, such as wheat gluten and rice bran; these contaminated ingredients caused kidney failure and death in many pets. Toothpaste that came from China was later found to be contaminated also.

Sources:
The Food and Drug Administration