June 19, 2012

 

Taiwan may ban some South Korean seafood

 

 

Following a warning from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that South Korean seafood products may be contaminated with noroviruses, Taiwan may stop selling a few of those seafood products, Taiwan health authorities said Friday (June 15).

 

In a statement released by the US agency Thursday, it said South Korean oysters, clams, mussels, or scallops must be pulled from store shelves.

 

At least four people in the US have become sick after eating South Korean seafood - three in October and one in December, the FDA report noted.

 

In Taiwan, 24 people have reportedly experienced nausea, vomiting, abdominal pains and diarrhoea after eating such products from South Korea at Eatogther chain restaurants since late May.

 

Feng Jun-lan, an official with Taiwan's Department of Health (DOH), said the DOH is investigating whether the company's imported items came from the same sources as the contaminated products found in the US

 

The DOH has also sought to gain an understanding of details regarding shipment inspections via several channels, including the South Korean representative office in Taiwan, but no conclusion has been reached, Feng added.

 

The department also asked Taiwan's representative office in Korea to gather information on pollution in South Korean waters, the official said.

 

The FDA's statement was issued following a comprehensive evaluation that determined the Korean Shellfish Sanitation Program no longer met the sanitation controls spelled out under the National Shellfish Sanitation Program, the US agency said.

 

Due to inadequate sanitation controls, shellfish harvested from South Korean waters may have been exposed to human fecal waste and may therefore be contaminated with noroviruses, the FDA added.

 

Apart from nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps, affected individuals often experience chills, headaches, muscle aches and a general sense of tiredness, according to the FDA.