The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released detailed data regarding ninety-six (96) seafood entry line refusals in February, of which four (4.2%) were for shrimp for reasons related to banned antibiotics.
The FDA’s reporting in February ends a two-month consecutive streak in which the FDA had reported no entry line refusals of shrimp for the presence of veterinary drug residues.
The four entry lines of shrimp refused for veterinary drug residues in February were attributed to shipments of shrimp from two different exporters in India and Vietnam, both of which are Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP)-certified shrimp processors:
- Nekkanti Mega Food Park Private Limited – Unit#1 (India), a company that currently operates under a four-star BAP certification for its processing plant (P10805) and that was added to Import Alert 16-129 (“Detention Without Physical Examination of Seafood Products Due to Nitrofurans”) on December 27, 2024 for the presence of AOZ (3-amino-2-oxazoildinone) in its shrimp and to Import Alert 16-127 (“Detention Without Physical Examination of All Seafood Due to Chloramphenicol”) on February 10, 2025 for the presence of chloramphenicol in its shrimp, had one entry line refused for shrimp contaminated with nitrofurans and veterinary drug residues by the Division of West Coast Imports on February 20, 2025; one entry line refused for shrimp contaminated with nitrofurans by the Division of Southwest Imports on February 20, 2025; and one entry line refused for shrimp contaminated with chloramphenicol by the Division of Northeast Imports on February 28, 2025; and
- Thong Thuan Cam Ranh Seafood Joint Stock Company (Vietnam), a company that currently operates under a four-star BAP certification for its processing plant (P10243), with an additional BAP certification for a related shrimp farm (F10787), and that is not currently listed on Import Alert 16-124 (“Detention Without Physical Examination of Aquaculture Seafood Products Due to Unapproved Drugs”) or Import Alert 16-129 (“Detention Without Physical Examination of Seafood Products Due to Nitrofurans”) or Import Alert 16-127 (“Detention Without Physical Examination of All Seafood Due to Chloramphenicol”), had one entry line refused for shrimp contaminated with veterinary drug residues by the Division of Northeast Imports on February 28, 2025.
In addition to these entry line refusals, the FDA separately announced that the Indian shrimp exporter Asvini Fisheries had been added to Import Alert 16-124 (“Detention Without Physical Examination of Aquaculture Seafood Products Due to Unapproved Drugs”) on February 10, 2025 due to a finding of the banned fungicide Crystal Violet in its shrimp.
Moreover, of the remaining 92 seafood entry line refusals by the FDA in February, 26 were for entry lines of shrimp imports for reasons unrelated to banned antibiotics. The FDA reported refusing one shrimp entry line each from the Indian shrimp exporters Matara Aquaculture West Bengal Private Limited; Srikanth International Private Limited; and NK Marine Exports LLP for the presence of salmonella. The federal agency further reported refusing nine entry lines of shrimp from the Indonesian shrimp exporter PT. Mustika Minanusa Aurora for being filthy and/or contamination from salmonella. Finally, the FDA refused 14 entry lines of shrimp from Indonesia’s Mega Marine Pride due to deficiencies with the labeling of sulfites that were present in its shrimp.