Processing of shrimp for exports. Japan changed plans to check imported Vietnamese seafood products. — Photo tapchitaichinh.vn

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — Japanese authorities have adjusted schedules for checks on antibiotic residues in seafood products imported from Viet Nam, according to the National Agro-Forestry- Fisheries Quality Assurance Department (Nafiqad).

The department said the Viet Nam Trade Office in Japan had received an announcement from Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare about checking Vietnamese seafood products exported to Japan.

According to the announcement, from September 13, random checks for Chloramphenicol (CAP) in shrimp and shrimp products were reduced from 100 per cent of batches to 30 per cent because Japan had not found CAP in those products.

However, all batches of cuttlefish would continue to be checked for CAP. Meanwhile, checks for Sulfamethoxazole and Sulfadiazine have been conducted on 30 per cent of the batches from August 2 and September 9, respectively, as Japan found one batch of shrimp containing Sulfamethoxazole in August and another batch of shrimp containing Sulfadiazine in September.

Checks for Furazolidone and Enrofloxacin will continue to be conducted for all batches of shrimp from Viet Nam.

Nafiqad said Vietnamese seafood manufacturing firms were requested to keep themselves updated on importers' regulations and to actively monitor antibiotic residues in seafood exports according to Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP). —  VNS