Do not index
Do not index
In a recent update, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has reported a significant increase in the rejection of seafood imports, particularly shrimp, due to concerns over the presence of banned antibiotics. The Southern Shrimp Alliance, a trade group advocating for the U.S. domestic shrimp sector, revealed that more than half of last year's total entry lines for shrimp were refused by the FDA due to antibiotic issues.
The FDA specifically declined three lines of shrimp purportedly originating from Choice Canning Company Unit II, a division of Choice Trading Corp. based in India. This decision came after a report by the Outlaw Ocean Project in March alleging the company's involvement in forced labor practices and knowingly shipping antibiotic-tainted shrimp to the U.S. However, Choice Canning's Vice President of Sales and Procurement, Jacob Jose, vehemently denied any wrongdoing in subsequent interviews.
Moreover, a spokesperson for Choice Canning rebutted the FDA's claim, asserting that the refused shrimp shipments were not affiliated with their company. According to the spokesperson, Choice Canning had previously leased the facility in Andhra Pradesh, India, linked to the shrimp shipment but had ceased operations there before the shipment occurred. The spokesperson provided documentation indicating that the building owner transferred Choice Canning's FDA food facility registration to another shrimp exporter, Alpha Marine, which subsequently shipped the refused shrimp.
The Southern Shrimp Alliance, through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, obtained data revealing that between 2002 and 2023, the FDA conducted only 21 inspections on Choice Canning shrimp shipments for antibiotics, indicating minimal oversight.
This instance highlights the FDA's challenge in intercepting antibiotic-contaminated seafood imports due to the limited testing conducted by the agency. Notably, of the 15 shrimp imports refused in April for containing banned antibiotics, a significant portion originated from various suppliers, including Shandong Tongxing Foodstuffs Co. from China and Kader Exports Private Limited, Unit 5, from India, among others.
The inclusion of Kader Exports Private Limited, Unit 5, an Indian shrimp-processing plant, to Import Alert 16-129 follows similar actions taken against its associated plant, Unit 04, in January 2024. This decision aligns with concerns regarding food safety, especially after the company's recall of frozen shrimp products in 2020 due to potential salmonella contamination.
Written by
Tradoubles is a cross-border seafoods marketplace. We help you source the best seafood suppliers from asian countries.
