食品伙伴網(wǎng)導讀：美國Exponent 公司的化學調控及食品安全中心新發(fā)布的報告為關于進口鯰魚安全性的討論又增加了新的刺激因素。根據(jù)報告，食用從中國和越南進口的被污染的鯰魚會對消費者造成“嚴重的長期的健康影響”。這份報告說，這種進口鯰魚的主要危害包括：致病微生物、抗生素藥物殘留、以及其生長環(huán)境中有化工產(chǎn)品。美國參議院農(nóng)業(yè)委員會的主席布蘭奇林肯22日在國會山出示了這份報告，并譴責美國農(nóng)業(yè)部拖延2008年農(nóng)業(yè)法案的一部分--鯰魚檢查規(guī)定的實施執(zhí)行，因為對鯰魚的管轄權由美國食品藥品管理局（FDA）移交給了食品標準監(jiān)察局（FSIS）。而美國漁業(yè)協(xié)會則對該報告進行了抨擊，他們稱這份報告反對競爭，并尋求創(chuàng)造一個食品安全的恐慌。


原文報道： by Helena Bottemiller | Jul 23, 2010
A new report from Exponent Inc.'s Center for Chemical Regulation and Food Safety is adding new fuel to the debate over catfish import safety. According to the report, eating contaminated catfish imported from Vietnam and China could have "serious long-term human health consequences."

The report cites "major hazards" associated with aquaculture fish, including pathogenic microorganisms, antimicrobial drug residues and environmental chemicals.

Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, joined the group, Food & Water Watch, and the Catfish Farmers of America in unveiling the report yesterday on Capitol Hill. Lincoln said she had been "loud and clear" on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) delay in implementing the catfish inspection rule, part of the 2008 Farm Bill, which shifted jurisdiction over catfish safety from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

The rule has yet to be implemented. The proposed rule has languished in the Office of Management and Budget reportedly because of objections raised by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative over concerns that countries currently exporting catfish to the U.S. may not be able to meet the food safety standards that FSIS would require.

"Each day we delay is another day Americans are at risk," said Lincoln yesterday in a briefing with reporters. The USDA was supposed to have begun implementing the rule last fall.

The National Fisheries Institute blasted the briefing yesterday, calling the report a "centerpiece of an anti-competition effort" that seeks to create a food safety scare.

According to the report there would be a number of benefits from the USDA inspection:

-USDA requires that countries exporting products to the U.S. have inspection programs equivalent to the U.S. program based on USDA review.

-USDA requires continuous inspection of the foods it regulates.

-USDA sets standards for microbial hazards, tests for contamination, tests production facilities, and evaluates individual facilities.

-USDA regularly conducts foreign inspections of producers who export to the U.S.

-In the last 11 years, the USDA's regulatory program has decreased Salmonella prevalence in all classes of products it inspects.

-USDA has not certified either China or Vietnam to ship USDA-regulated raw, non-processed products from any meat animal to the U.S.

完整報告下載---來自鯰魚的風險報告（Catfish-risk-report.pdf)下載