(vasep.com.vn) In July 31st 2012, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) Cao Duc Phat sent Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan (MHLW) a letter on problem of Ethoxyquin residue in shrimp exported to Japan market.
In the letter, Vietnam Minister recommended Japan to regulate maximum residue limits (MRLs) for Ethoxyquin in shrimp similar to that for finfish.
While Food Safety Commission of Japan reconsiders acceptable daily intake (ADI) with Ethoxyquin, Minister Cao Duc Phat recommended MHLW to set up temporary MRL for Ethoxyquin in shrimp as soon as possible based on ADI of 0.005 mg/kg body weight established by the Joint FAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR) of the CODEX committee.
Accordingly, Minister of MARD recommended MHLW to temporarily apply MRL for Ethoxyquin residues in Vietnam shrimp of 1 ppm which is similar to MRL for Ethoxyquin residues in finfish because Japanese daily dietary intake of shrimp and fish are similar.
Minister Cao Duc Phat requested National Agro–Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department (NAFIQAD) to continue working with Japanese competent authorities on the situation of Ethoxyquin, and regulations on chemical and antibiotic residue in imported seafood consignments. The Minister asked NAFIQAD in cooperation with Directorate of Fisheries to update timely and accurate information, to suggest of alternative substances in shrimp farming to farmers.
In mid June 2012, a delegation from MARD of Vietnam had a visit to Japan to work with competent Japanese agencies on Ethoxyquin in Vietnam shrimp entering the market. MHLW decided to test Ethoxyquin residue on 30 percent of shrimp consignments originated from Vietnam with MRLs of 0.01 ppm.Japan is an important importer of Vietnam seafood as well as the largest consumer market of Vietnam shrimp, so the regulation on Ethoxyquin is considered as a huge obstacle for Vietnam shrimp exports to the market.