November 22, 2006

Beijing bans sales of contaminated fish

Beijing has banned the sale of turbot Monday (Nov 20) after detecting excessive amounts of carcinogens in the fish, according to the municipal food security office.

Several other cities and provinces -- including Tianjin, Xi'an and Liaoning -- have also started quality inspections of turbot after Shanghai announced on Friday that it had detected excessive residue including nitrofuran and chloromycetin in turbot.

Fish farmers have been accused of knowingly feeding banned chemicals to the fish. Fish markets, shopping malls, and hotels in Shanghai have stopped selling turbot following government warnings.

The eastern province of Shandong, a major turbot producing area, has taken measures to monitor turbot farms. 

Inspection efforts in the cultivation, transportation, storage and sales of turbot and other fish have been tightened.   As turbot are more susceptible to disease, they are fed huge quantities of medical supplements to make them more resistant. However, the practice leaves these carcinogenic residues in the fish.     The State Food and Drug Administration has ordered local offices and authorities in coastal areas to closely monitor the situation.    Numerous cases of food safety issues has cropped up in China this year, from tainted pork which made hundreds in Shanghai sick to Sudan dyes found in duck eggs in a more recent case.