Frozen food exporters advised to comply with EC safety standard
Friday, 21 November 2008
Doulot Akter Mala
The European Union (EU) inspection team has expressed satisfaction over significant improvement in food safety measures in the past two years although it has found the country's compliance level not equivalent to EU standard, officials said.
The EU will not impose ban on export of frozen foods, but it has advised both the government and exporters to comply with the EC food safety standard by next three months with due priority, they said.
The two-member team from EU food and veterinary office (FVO) held a wrap up meeting Wednesday after visiting country's shrimp processing plants across the country from November 11 to November 19.
All concerned government officials and stakeholders attended the meeting where the EU has suggested some measures for further improvement of the quality and strengthening of monitoring of frozen food items.
The team left Thursday after inspecting the shrimp firms, testing laboratories, hatcheries.
"The team has sought government's assurance for addressing some major issues as soon as possible," said an official who attended the wrap-up meeting.
A senior official of fisheries and livestock ministry said: "The EU team will give a report after 20 days on their recent visit in the country's shrimp processing plants."
"We will get the feedback in the report. But, there is no fear of a ban on frozen foods export as they have found significant improvement of facilities in testing laboratories and shrimp industries," he said.
The EU team has suggested installation of modern machinery in the shrimp testing laboratories, he added.
"We have also a plan to purchase some new testing machines including LCMSMS machine for anti-biotic test," he said.
Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters Association (BFFEA) president Kazi Belayet Hossain said: "The inspection team has expressed its satisfaction as we have kept our commitment made in 2005 for ensuring food safety."
In 2005, the same inspection team suggested some measures to address quality issues, which the country followed properly, he said.
The EU will not impose ban this year, but they suggested for purchasing two more LCMSMS machine for antibiotic test and improvement in monitoring system, he said.
The European Union (EU) inspection team has expressed satisfaction over significant improvement in food safety measures in the past two years although it has found the country's compliance level not equivalent to EU standard, officials said.
The EU will not impose ban on export of frozen foods, but it has advised both the government and exporters to comply with the EC food safety standard by next three months with due priority, they said.
The two-member team from EU food and veterinary office (FVO) held a wrap up meeting Wednesday after visiting country's shrimp processing plants across the country from November 11 to November 19.
All concerned government officials and stakeholders attended the meeting where the EU has suggested some measures for further improvement of the quality and strengthening of monitoring of frozen food items.
The team left Thursday after inspecting the shrimp firms, testing laboratories, hatcheries.
"The team has sought government's assurance for addressing some major issues as soon as possible," said an official who attended the wrap-up meeting.
A senior official of fisheries and livestock ministry said: "The EU team will give a report after 20 days on their recent visit in the country's shrimp processing plants."
"We will get the feedback in the report. But, there is no fear of a ban on frozen foods export as they have found significant improvement of facilities in testing laboratories and shrimp industries," he said.
The EU team has suggested installation of modern machinery in the shrimp testing laboratories, he added.
"We have also a plan to purchase some new testing machines including LCMSMS machine for anti-biotic test," he said.
Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters Association (BFFEA) president Kazi Belayet Hossain said: "The inspection team has expressed its satisfaction as we have kept our commitment made in 2005 for ensuring food safety."
In 2005, the same inspection team suggested some measures to address quality issues, which the country followed properly, he said.
The EU will not impose ban this year, but they suggested for purchasing two more LCMSMS machine for antibiotic test and improvement in monitoring system, he said.