Importing tainted seafood: A comparison of veterinary drug residue detections by the US, EU, Canada and Japan

Veterinary drugs are used to treat or prevent diseases related to sanitary conditions and crowding in aquaculture. Residues of these drugs may pose risks to consumers when ingested in seafood. To detect drug residues in domestic and imported seafood, inspecting bodies use targeted and random testing, coupled with laboratory analyses. This study analyzed veterinary drug inspection policies and violations among four major inspecting bodies (European Union, United States, Japan, and China) from 2000 to 2009 to assess public health risks from veterinary drug residues in imported seafood. The percentages of imported seafood shipments inspected were 20% to 50% for the EU, 18% for Japan, 2% to 15% for Canada, and 2% for the US. Across all inspecting bodies, Asian farm-raised shrimp and prawns, catfish (or fish sold as catfish), crab, tilapia, and eel, and Chilean salmon had greater veterinary drug violations than other products. Among exporting nations, Vietnam had the highest portion of veterinary drug violations: 59% of veterinary drug violations in Japan 43% in the US, 34% in Canada, and 19% in the EU. China was another major violator, with 34% of Canadian, 28% of Japanese, 23% of US, and 15% of EU veterinary drug violations. Among veterinary drugs, nitrofurans and chloramphenicol were common causes of violations in shrimp and prawns, while malachite green, cipro- and enrofloxacin, and nitrofurans were common in finfish. Concentrations of veterinary drugs in violative seafood tested by the EU and US are presented. No distinction between targeted and random sampling was made available by inspecting bodies, which makes predictions regarding violation levels in the large untested fraction of seafood difficult. Transparency in seafood inspection reporting varied widely among inspecting bodies. Seafood importers could improve seafood safety by increasing inspection frequency, publishing yearly monitoring reports, and adopting the European Union's Rapid Alert System.