Japanese Ethoxyquin barrier keeps Vietnamese shrimp outside

VietNamNet Bridge – Vietnam now faces the risk of losing Japan as the biggest shrimp export market, because the importer requires very low Ethoxyquin content in shrimp products. The Ethoxyquin barrier On August 31, Japanese competent agencies ordered to examine 100 percent of the consignments of shrimp products imported from Vietnam. The Ethoxyquin content must not be higher than 0.01 ppm, while the products which cannot satisfy the strict requirement must be refused. The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) said it is unreasonable to require such a low Ethoxyquin content. This is an antioxidant widely used in animal feed, while in most of the countries in the world, the allowed Ethoxyquin content levels are between 75 and 150 ppm. According to Tran Bich Nga, Deputy Director of Nafiqad, the seafood quality control agency under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), the EU now allows the Ethoxyquin content at 150 ppm at maximum in animal feed, while it does not set the Ethoxyquin content limitations for food in general and seafood in particular. The US also allows to have the ceiling Ethoxyquin content in animal feed at 150 ppm, while there has been no regulation for seafood products. Also according to Nga, Japan stipulates that the Ethoxyquin content must not be higher than 150 ppm in the feed for shrimp, and 1 ppm in fish, while it does not set limitations on crustacean and has not defined limitations on shrimp and crab. Under the Japanese regulations,…