ID :
20936
Wed, 09/24/2008 - 09:42
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/20936
The shortlink copeid
No harmful chemicals found in locally raised fish
By Lee Joon-seung
SEOUL, Sept. 24 (Yonhap) -- No traces of an industrial chemical that can cause kidney damage were found in locally raised fish, a government think tank said Wednesday, downplaying a recent scare over tainted feed.
The National Fisheries Research and Development Institute said it checked samples
from 15 fish farms that used feed containing melamine, but found no residual
traces of the industrial chemical in the meat or intestines.
Melamine is a nitrogen-based chemical that can cause kidney damage in humans and
even death in severe cases. It is added to food to fraudulently increase apparent
protein content levels.
China has been rocked in recent weeks by the discovery of melamine in baby
formula and dairy products. Four infants have died due to the contaminant.
All sales from the South Korean farms were been banned late last week after the
government discovered that a local feed producer in Jeongeup, about 300
kilometers south of Seoul, used powdered squid that contained melamine. The
powders came from both South Korea and China, and authorities are currently
trying to determine how the chemical got into the ingredient.
The company said it sold 583 tons, with 29 tons being recalled after the problem
was detected.
A total of 16 fish farms used the feed from March with one business being
exempted from the probe because it has since closed.
"Since no traces of the chemical were found, the ban on sales has been lifted as
of today," said a government inspector at the institute under the Ministry for
Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said. The farms had already sold 400
tons of fish earlier in the month.
The official, meanwhile, said that tests conducted on freshwater fish imported
from China have turned up negative for any melamine contamination.
He said samples of fish imported this week, including eels, carp and loach were
checked in detail, adding that such examinations will be conducted regularly for
the time being.
Related to the fish feed scare, the agriculture ministry said it will conduct
probes into more than 600 local animal feed manufacturers to see if quality
regulations are being followed.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)
SEOUL, Sept. 24 (Yonhap) -- No traces of an industrial chemical that can cause kidney damage were found in locally raised fish, a government think tank said Wednesday, downplaying a recent scare over tainted feed.
The National Fisheries Research and Development Institute said it checked samples
from 15 fish farms that used feed containing melamine, but found no residual
traces of the industrial chemical in the meat or intestines.
Melamine is a nitrogen-based chemical that can cause kidney damage in humans and
even death in severe cases. It is added to food to fraudulently increase apparent
protein content levels.
China has been rocked in recent weeks by the discovery of melamine in baby
formula and dairy products. Four infants have died due to the contaminant.
All sales from the South Korean farms were been banned late last week after the
government discovered that a local feed producer in Jeongeup, about 300
kilometers south of Seoul, used powdered squid that contained melamine. The
powders came from both South Korea and China, and authorities are currently
trying to determine how the chemical got into the ingredient.
The company said it sold 583 tons, with 29 tons being recalled after the problem
was detected.
A total of 16 fish farms used the feed from March with one business being
exempted from the probe because it has since closed.
"Since no traces of the chemical were found, the ban on sales has been lifted as
of today," said a government inspector at the institute under the Ministry for
Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries said. The farms had already sold 400
tons of fish earlier in the month.
The official, meanwhile, said that tests conducted on freshwater fish imported
from China have turned up negative for any melamine contamination.
He said samples of fish imported this week, including eels, carp and loach were
checked in detail, adding that such examinations will be conducted regularly for
the time being.
Related to the fish feed scare, the agriculture ministry said it will conduct
probes into more than 600 local animal feed manufacturers to see if quality
regulations are being followed.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
(END)
