40% of imported Chinese fish with banned antibiotic recalled: TFDA

Taipei, June 2 (CNA) About 40 percent of a 1,000-kilogram shipment of small yellow croaker imported from China containing the banned veterinary drug enrofloxacin has successfully been recalled, the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) reported Monday.

The 1,000-kilo shipment has been fully distributed to retail outlets around Taiwan, the TFDA said, and recall efforts were continuing according to the agency, but it was unclear how much of the shipment has been sold to end consumers.

Only the small yellow croaker from China tested positive out of 453 samples of poultry, livestock, and aquatic products tested for drug residues by health authorities in March and April, the TFDA said.

The batch was imported by A-Quan Frozen Aquatic Products Co. in Tainan.

City authorities have fined the company NT$240,000 (US$8,002.82) for violating the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation, according to the TFDA.

In Taiwan, the veterinary drug is approved for use in cattle, pigs and poultry but not in aquatic products, TFDA Central Center for Regional Administration Director Chen Tzu-ling (陳姿伶) told CNA by phone.

In the summer of 2024, a batch of frozen large yellow croaker imported from China by the same Tainan company also tested positive for enrofloxacin, Chen said.

Because this was the company's second violation within a year, the base fine was raised to NT$120,000, according to regulations, and the company's failure to conduct self-inspections as required only increased the fine further, to a total of NT$240,000, Chen said.

As a result of the recent non-compliance case, small yellow croaker imported from China will now be subject to a 20-50 percent inspection rate at the border, rather than the standard 2-10 percent, according to Chen.

Enrofloxacin is a synthetic antibacterial agent. Excessive consumption may cause gastrointestinal discomfort and, in severe cases, could potentially impair kidney function, according to the TFDA.