It is unreasonable to require such a low Ethoxyquin content. This is an antioxidant widely used in animal feed, while in most of the countries in the world, the allowed Ethoxyquin content levels are between 75 and 150 ppm.
According to Tran Bich Nga, Deputy Director of Nafiqad, the seafood quality control agency under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), the EU now allows the Ethoxyquin content at 150 ppm at maximum in animal feed, while it does not set the Ethoxyquin content limitations for food in general and seafood in particular.
The US also allows to have the ceiling Ethoxyquin content in animal feed at 150 ppm, while there has been no regulation for seafood products.
Also according to Nga, Japan stipulates that the Ethoxyquin content must not be higher than 150 ppm in the feed for shrimp, and 1 ppm in fish, while it does not set limitations on crustacean and has not defined limitations on shrimp and crab.
Under the Japanese regulations, if no specific residue limitation has been set for one specific type of product, competent agencies would set limitations by default. Here, the default level for shrimp is 0.01 ppm.
The Japanese strict control has put big difficulties for Vietnamese enterprises, which now dare not export shrimp products to Japan because of the high risks.
By mid August, Vietnam had exported 1.3 billion dollars worth of shrimp products, of which 27 percent went to the Japanese market, 21 percent to the US, and 14 percent to the EU. However, the shrimp export turnover to Japan in the first half of August dropped by 22.3 percent in comparison with the same period of the last year, the sharpest decrease so far.
What can be used to replace Ethoxyquin?
Facing the risk of losing the Japanese market, VASEP has asked the Fisheries Directorate to find out solutions to the problem, while suggesting MARD to set up the new ceiling Ethoxyquin content in shrimp feed at 0.5 ppm instead of the current 150 ppm, which would help ease the Ethoxyquin residues in shrimp products.
However, Nga from Nafiqad said if Japan sets the limitation at 100-150 ppm for shrimp feed, it would be unreasonable for Vietnam to set the limitation at such a low level of 0.5 ppm.
“The low content level could be acceptable for food, but impossible for seafood, while it does not come in line with the international practice,” Nga said.
Truong Dinh Hoe, VASEP’s General Secretary, has advised farmers and enterprises not to feed shrimp with the products containing Ethoxyquin. He said that one week or 10 days before the harvesting, farmers should provide other feed products, with no Ethoxyquin.
Bui Duc Quy from the Fisheries Directorate said there are two substances which have the same features as Ethoxyquin, namely BHA (Butylated Hydroxyl Anisole) and BHT (Butylated Hydroxyl Toluence).
Quy said foreign feed manufacturers have affirmed they can be used instead of Ethoxyquin in shrimp hatchery. However, the problem is that they have high prices, which would make the shrimp production costs high. Therefore, no solution has been found so far to the shrimp problem.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The “Moringa Noodles Salad” product by Sa Giang Import-Export Corporation was honored as one of the “Top 10 Winning Products” at the THAIFEX – Anuga taste Innovation Show 2026, held as part of THAIFEX – Anuga Asia 2026 in Bangkok.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a fairly strong upward trend in 2025, Vietnam’s clam exports entered 2026 with a mixed picture: strong growth at the beginning of the year, followed by a slowdown from March onward. According to Vietnam Customs data, Vietnam’s clam export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached more than USD 38 million, up 2% compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius industry is facing new opportunities to expand its development space as many localities and businesses begin promoting marine farming models aimed at diversifying farming areas and adapting to climate change. However, for pangasius to truly “go offshore” and develop into a large-scale industry segment, significant challenges related to technology, broodstock, and markets still need to be addressed.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports in April 2026 reached USD 11 million, up 92% compared to the same period in 2025. This strong growth indicates that Vietnamese tilapia products are continuing to penetrate and expand rapidly in international markets. Cumulative export turnover in the first four months of 2026 reached USD 49 million, up 151% year-on-year.
(seafood.vasep.com) At VietShrimp Asia 2026, disease management trends in shrimp farming are shifting strongly from treatment-based approaches toward proactive prevention through environmental and pond ecosystem control.
(vasep.com.vn) After a period of strong growth, with export turnover reaching USD 38 million in Q1/2026 — up 174% year-on-year — the sector’s rapid expansion clearly reflects growing market opportunities.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first quarter of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the ASEAN bloc reached USD 44 million, up 7% compared to the same period in 2025. After falling to the lowest level of the quarter at USD 9 million in February — reflecting the seasonal slowdown in orders after the festive period — exports recovered strongly to USD 18 million in March, the highest monthly value of the quarter. This development shows that import demand for pangasius in ASEAN remains relatively stable despite short-term fluctuations.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On May 11, 2026, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced a positive comparability finding for Vietnam’s swimming crab fisheries, along with those of Indonesia and Sri Lanka, under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). With this decision, seafood and seafood products harvested from Vietnam’s swimming crab fisheries will continue to be eligible for import into the US market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a slowdown in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Germany showed more positive signs in the first quarter of 2026. However, the recovery remains uncertain as consumer demand in Germany is still cautious, while market competition is increasingly driven by pricing and supply stability.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a sharp decline in 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Israel are showing positive signs of recovery in the early months of 2026. According to Vietnam Customs data, export turnover to this market grew steadily month by month in Q1/2026, reaching nearly USD 10 million, up 33% compared to the same period in 2025. However, compared to Q1/2024, this level remains significantly lower, indicating that the recovery is still in its early stage following last year’s strong adjustment.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội
Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO
Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu
Giấy phép hoạt động Trang thông tin điện tử tổng hợp số 138/GP-TTĐT, ngày 01/10/2013 của Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 – (ext.203); email: kimthu@vasep.com.vn
Trụ sở: Số 7 đường Nguyễn Quý Cảnh, Phường An Phú, Quận 2, Tp.Hồ Chí Minh
Tel: (+84) 28.628.10430 - Fax: (+84) 28.628.10437 - Email: vasephcm@vasep.com.vn
VPĐD: số 10, Nguyễn Công Hoan, Ngọc Khánh, Ba Đình, Hà Nội
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 - Fax: (+84 24) 37715084 - Email: vasephn@vasep.com.vn