News

FDA’s Increased Enforcement Against Contaminated Shrimp Imports Continues in 2021

This morning, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published data reporting that there were 68 total seafood entry line refusals in January, of which 13 (19.1%) were of shrimp for reasons related to banned antibiotics.  In addition, another 18 entry lines of shrimp (26.5%) were refused for reasons related to the presence of salmonella.

The 13 entry line refusals of shrimp for reasons related to banned antibiotics represents the highest number of entry lines refused for these reasons in a month since January 2019.  Moreover, last month – with reporting that appears to be complete through January 27th – the total number of shrimp entry lines refused was over one-third (36.1 percent) of the total entry lines refused in all of last year.

 

The thirteen shrimp entry lines refused in January for reasons related to antibiotics were for shipments from five exporters in Bangladesh, China, and India:

  • Southern Foods Limited (Bangladesh), a company that is now listed twice on Import Alert 16-129 (“Detention Without Physical Examination of Seafood Products Due to Nitrofurans”) at two different addressed (August 30, 2016 and February 3, 2021) for nitrofurans in its shrimp, had four entry lines refused for shrimp contaminated with nitrofurans and veterinary drug residues by the Division of West Coast Imports on January 6, 2021;
  • Rupsha Fish & Allied Industries (Factory) (Bangladesh), a company that is not currently listed on Import Alert 16-124 (“Detention Without Physical Examination of Aquaculture Seafood Products Due to Unapproved Drugs”), Import Alert 16-127 (“Detention Without Physical Examination of Crustaceans Due to Chloramphenicol”), or Import Alert 16-129 (“Detention Without Physical Examination of Seafood Products Due to Nitrofurans”), had four entry lines refused for shrimp contaminated with veterinary drug residues and salmonella by the Division of West Coast Imports on January 7, 2021;
  • Fuqing Yihua Aquatic Food Co., Ltd. (China), a company that is no longer on the green list of Import Alert 16-131 (“Detention Without Physical Examination of Aquacultured, Shrimp, Dace, and Eel from China – Presence of New Animal Drugs and/or Unsafe Food Additives”), had one entry line refused for breaded shrimp contaminated with veterinary drug residues and unsafe additives by the Division of West Coast Imports on January 20, 2021;
  • West Coast Frozen Foods Private Limited (India), a company that is currently listed on Import Alert 16-129 (“Detention Without Physical Examination of Seafood Products Due to Nitrofurans”) as of November 4, 2019 for nitrofurans in its shrimp, had three entry lines refused for shrimp contaminated with nitrofurans by the Division of West Coast Imports on January 4, 2021; and
  • Cochin Frozen Foods Exports (India), a company that is currently listed on Import Alert 16-129 (“Detention Without Physical Examination of Seafood Products Due to Nitrofurans”) as of March 4, 2020 for nitrofurans in its shrimp, had one entry line refused for shrimp contaminated with nitrofurans by the Division of West Coast Imports on January 26, 2021.

In addition to these shipments, the FDA reported refusing another eighteen entry lines of shrimp from India and Venezuela for the presence of salmonella.  Combined, refusals of shrimp entry lines for filth, salmonella, and veterinary drug residues accounted for just under half (47.1%) of all seafood entry line refusals by the FDA in January.

Of these shrimp entry line refusals, another twelve were of shrimp shipments attributed to the Indian exporter Kader Exports Private Limited.  As in November and December, these refusals took place in multiple areas throughout the country, involving three of the agency’s five import divisions (West Coast; Southeast; and Northern Border).  Between Kader Exports Private Limited and Kader Investment & Trading Company Private Limited, exactly 100 entry lines of shrimp have been refused by the FDA over the last three months for various reasons.

Share This Article

Join the Mailing List

Get news from Southern Shrimp Alliance straight to your inbox!


By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact

Related Posts