FDA Refusing Record Amounts Of Shrimp Contaminated With Banned Antibiotics

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) recently reported that in October 2014 the agency refused a total of 101 entry lines of seafood. Of these refusals, 35 of the refusals were of entry lines of shrimp due to antibiotic contamination.

Based on an analysis of FDA refusal data by the Southern Shrimp Alliance, the number of shrimp entry lines refused in October for antibiotic contamination was the largest since January of 2011. In that month, the FDA refused 42 total entry lines of shrimp contaminated by antibiotics, of which 39 were from China.

The large number of refusals last month reflects a significant increase in FDA regulatory actions to address the continuing problem of banned antibiotics in imported shrimp. Since 2011, the FDA has reported refusing more than 25 entry lines of shrimp contaminated with banned antibiotics in a single month only five times, with three of those months occurring this year: January 2011 (42); February 2011 (28); June 2014 (26); July 2014 (31); and October 2014 (35).

To read the rest of the story, please go to: Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA)