SKorea bans fish from Chinese farm
Monday, 16 July 2007
SEOUL, July 15 (AFP): South Korea has banned fish imports from a Chinese farm that used harmful anti-bacterial agents, a news report said today.
Seoul's Yonhap news agency, quoting an unnamed maritime and fisheries ministry official, said the ban took effect July 6 when fish from the unidentified Chinese farm tested positive for the toxic substances.
Officials were not immediately available for comment but Yonhap said the farm-raised fish, found to have the banned agent enrofloxacine or ciprofloxacine, had been sent back or destroyed.
The latest case has brought the total number of Chinese fish farms or processors under South Korea's ban to 34, it said.
China has taken a number of steps in recent months to improve consumer safety amid regular reports of fake, shoddy or dangerous goods emanating from the nation's chaotic and corrupt food and drug industry.
Toxic seafood, virus-plagued pigs and chemical-laden toothpaste are just some of the problems to have hit headlines around the world in recent months.
China last week executed the former head of its food and drug safety watchdog for corruption, in what was seen as an attempt by the government to show it is serious about the problem.
Seoul's Yonhap news agency, quoting an unnamed maritime and fisheries ministry official, said the ban took effect July 6 when fish from the unidentified Chinese farm tested positive for the toxic substances.
Officials were not immediately available for comment but Yonhap said the farm-raised fish, found to have the banned agent enrofloxacine or ciprofloxacine, had been sent back or destroyed.
The latest case has brought the total number of Chinese fish farms or processors under South Korea's ban to 34, it said.
China has taken a number of steps in recent months to improve consumer safety amid regular reports of fake, shoddy or dangerous goods emanating from the nation's chaotic and corrupt food and drug industry.
Toxic seafood, virus-plagued pigs and chemical-laden toothpaste are just some of the problems to have hit headlines around the world in recent months.
China last week executed the former head of its food and drug safety watchdog for corruption, in what was seen as an attempt by the government to show it is serious about the problem.