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May 22, 2007
Little Rock-- The Arkansas Division of Health reports that samples of fish imported into Arkansas from China and tested in FDA laboratories in Denver showed no traces of fluoroquinolone antibiotics, currently banned in fish in the United States. These samples were taken from Arkansas wholesale distributors over the last few weeks.
The imported catfish did show 15 ppb (parts per billion) of melamine in one sample of CenSea Chinese at Ben E. Keith Distributors. This level of material does not pose any human health hazards. Concern recently was raised by much higher concentrations of melamine found in pet foods.
Testing also revealed 2.5 ppb (parts per billion) of crystal violet, a dye that is used as an antifungal agent in samples of Ocean Park Chinese catfish at U.S. Food Service Distributor. Use of crystal violet in food is prohibited in the United States. Crystal violet poses a cancer risk to humans, but only at much higher levels than those currently being found in the imported catfish. Since the FDA action level has been breached, however, the Division of Health is quarantining these lots of imported fish currently at U. S. Food Service.
Dr. Jim Phillips, Branch Chief Infectious Disease, said, “We are encouraged about our findings. There was concern about the fish possibly containing fluoroquinolone antibiotics. Fluoroquinolones are microbial antibiotics used to treat people who are ill. The ban on using them in food sources is intended to prevent a gradual build-up that might result in antibiotic resistance. FDA is using new methods for testing fish that detect materials at the smallest of levels. That’s what we’re seeing with the melamine and crystal violet. However, since no amount of crystal violet is permissible, we are quarantining fish with that substance.
On May 7, 8, 9 and 14th, the Arkansas Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Health, sampled Mariner’s Seafood, LLC, Chinese catfish, CenSea Chinese catfish, Ocean Park Chinese catfish, Silver Source Chinese catfish, Empire Choice Chinese tilapia fillets, DHHHS Page 2 Heartland U.S. catfish and Freshwater Farms U.S. catfish.
Results indicated no presence of fluoroquinolones or other banned substances from the imported Empire Choice tilapia, domestically produced U.S. catfish and domestically produced Freshwater Farms U.S. catfish.
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