The European Union (EU) has asked Vietnam to stop its export of bivalve mollusc products to the bloc, the National Agriculture-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department (NAFIQAD) said.
The request was made after an EU delegation detected two serious violations of food safety regulations for bivalve products during its fact-finding tour to Vietnam from September 9-16.
The mission concluded that Vietnam’s blanched noble scallop (Mimachlamys Nobilis) flesh had not been heat-treated in accordance with EU standards before being exported to Europe.
Meanwhile, a number of seafood products processed in Vietnam and exported to the EU were found to contain traces of noble scallops and ark clams (Anadara Subcrenata) contaminated with lipophilic toxins.
EU inspectors also found that documents on material and quality management were unreliable, the NAFIQAD said.
In response to these shortcomings, NAFIQAD ordered a temporary suspension of the export of the offending products in an effort to avoid a total ban on Vietnam’s bivalve mollusc export to the EU.
The department also asked bivalve mollusc processing facilities to overhaul the implementation of food safety regulations, and requested local agriculture-forestry-fisheries quality assurance units to intensify their inspections.-VNA
The request was made after an EU delegation detected two serious violations of food safety regulations for bivalve products during its fact-finding tour to Vietnam from September 9-16.
The mission concluded that Vietnam’s blanched noble scallop (Mimachlamys Nobilis) flesh had not been heat-treated in accordance with EU standards before being exported to Europe.
Meanwhile, a number of seafood products processed in Vietnam and exported to the EU were found to contain traces of noble scallops and ark clams (Anadara Subcrenata) contaminated with lipophilic toxins.
EU inspectors also found that documents on material and quality management were unreliable, the NAFIQAD said.
In response to these shortcomings, NAFIQAD ordered a temporary suspension of the export of the offending products in an effort to avoid a total ban on Vietnam’s bivalve mollusc export to the EU.
The department also asked bivalve mollusc processing facilities to overhaul the implementation of food safety regulations, and requested local agriculture-forestry-fisheries quality assurance units to intensify their inspections.-VNA
