Thailand’s canned tuna industry issued a statement today, after it has been making headlines in recent weeks for multiple shipments that failed to meet EU health standards.
Since May, the European Union (EU) has rejected Thai tuna products 14 times and issued one information notification for the presence of histamine. While one industry source says the products are being exposed to “post process contamination,” the EU’s food alert system reports “inadequate thermal processing.”
As a result of the problematic exports, Anfaco, which represents Spanish canners, is calling for a temporary ban on Thai tuna imports, while Thai Union – the world’s largest canned tuna producer – has temporarily halted its shipments to the EU since the start of October.
Tuna processors from the Thai Food Processors’ Association issued the following statement today:
“In light of the alleged findings of inadequate thermal processing in certain lots of canned tuna shipped to the EU, and in light of certain information you might see in the press, the Tuna Group of the Thai Food Processors Association would like to offer the following assurance to buyers and consumers of canned tuna from Thailand.
Be certain that the Thai canned tuna industry takes these reported findings seriously - even though there is no evidence of any abnormal product in the market that can be related to the findings. The Thai canned tuna industry has an excellent record of producing safe and high quality products in compliance with international regulatory, quality, and food safety standards. This has been confirmed by the EU certification activities in Thailand, in conjunction with the Thai Department of Fisheries (DOF), over many years.
The Thai canned tuna processors, in association with the Thai DOF, have already implemented further, supplemental steps to reassure your confidence in the Thai canned tuna currently on the market, and for the future. These steps included a thorough review of all food safety HACCP records associated with canned tuna sterilization, and a review of systems used to cool product after sterilization. These reviews did not disclose any irregularities; confirming that these process steps are, and have always been, in compliance with international standards for safety and quality. Finally, the Thai DOF, in conjunction with an outside, third-party agency, is undertaking a project to study the various laboratory methodologies used to evaluate canned tuna products.”