July 26, 2011

Three UK retailers withdraw tainted Vietnamese catfish

Three leading British retailers have withdrawn Vietnamese catfish imported by a local company, after some of the fish was found to contain illegal substances generally used to increase their weight.

Tesco, Asda and Morrisons, pulled the catfish products off their shelves in Seaham, a small town in Durham County, after detecting excess levels of sodium chloride and phosphate.

The products had been imported by Cumbrian Seafood Group, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporter and Processors (VASEP).

The substances were discovered by the Trading Standards Department of North East Lincolnshire following a random check.

It found nine out of 10 imported catfish samples contaminated with the substances which enable the fish to absorb more water and increase weight. The water evaporates when the fish is cooked.