According to Shenzhen Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau, a total of 2 tonnes of minced shrimp products, imported from Indonesia, were destroyed by the Bureau on 30th August because of too much veterinary drugs residue. The batch of products gained access into Shenzhen though Wenjindu port in Shenzhen. Inspectors carried out spot check and sampled the products to laboratory for inspecting. Test results showed that nitrofurazone residue were 29.4μg/kg、43.2μg/kg and 57.1μg/kg respectively in the sampled minced shrimp products, which were not up to standards implemented by China Ministry of Agriculture.
Nitrofurazone is a kind of artificially synthesized broad-spectrum antibiotics, which is used to treat animals disease. In recent years, the drug has been used widely in animal husbandry and aquaculture. But nitrofurazone and its metabolites residue in foods can be transited to human beings through food chain. Long-term intake of the drugs could cause different diseases, such as cancer, deformed fetus and so on. America, Australia, Canada, Japan, Singapore, EU and so on all have clear regulations not allowing the use of the drug in food industry and requiring strict nitrofurazone residue test.
In March 2002, Chinese Ministry of Agriculture listed nitrofurazone as forbidden drugs and ordered inspection and quarantine bureaus to implement strict tests on such drugs.
