US FDA refuses more shrimp shipments due to presence of antibiotics and banned drug residue

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced on 3 April, 2023 that 83 seafood entry lines to the U.S. were refused in February. Two of those lines were shrimp from India and Vietnam refused due to banned antibiotics and veterinary drug residues.

The India shipment was from Kerala-based Mangala Seafoods, which has been under an import alert. The company was added to Import Alert 16-129, Detention Without Physical Examination of Seafood Products Due to Nitrofurans for its shrimp exports on 1 March, and Import Alert 16-124, Detention of Without Physical Examination of Aquaculture Seafood Products Due to Unapproved Drugs from chloramphenicol in its shrimp 25 January. 

In January 2023, the company had one entry line refused with veterinary drug residues.

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam-based Hoang Phong Seafood Co. is not listed on the Import Alert 16-124 Detention Without Physical Examination of Aquaculture Seafood Products Due to Unapproved Drugs despite two months of entry refusals.

The FDA also reported ten additional entry line refusals of shrimp due to salmonella and/or filth in March.

India-based Edhayam Frozen Foods Pvt Ltd.  was refulsed due to filth and salmonella; Nila Sea Foods Exports was refused for salmonella; Orchard Marine Exports Private Limited was refused due to filth and salmonella; Royale Marine Impex Pvt. Ltd. was refused for filth; Indonesia-based PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati was rejected due to filth; and Vietnam-based Branch Duc Thanh Seafood Company was refused for salmonella.

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