Jun 29, 2007, 8:32 GMT
Washington - In the latest problem with food products from China, US regulators Thursday blocked the import of some farm-raised seafood because of possible contamination from unsafe drugs.
The Food and Drug Administration said it would detain all farm- raised shrimp, catfish, basa - a type of catfish, dace and eel from China until they are 'proven to be free of residues from drugs that are not approved in the United States for use in farm-raised acquatic animals.'
Although no illness had been reported to date, repeated sampling from October 2006 to May 2007 found the fish imports contaminated with antimicrobials and antibiotics including fluoroquinolone.
'The use of fluoroquinolones in food animals may increase antibiotic resistance to this critically important class of antibiotics,' the statement said.
The FDA said it would not seek a recall, as the levels of the drug residues were very low, 'most often at or near the minimum level of detection.'
'Chinese officials have acknowledged that fluoroquinolones are used in Chinese aquaculture and are permitted for use in China,' the FDA said.
Over the past months, US authorities have found impurities and toxins in substances that contain ingredients that originated in china, including pet food and toothpaste. Dozens of pet deaths were blamed on the contaminated food.
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