Policies and practices for aquaculture food safety in China
Introduction
Total annual per capita fish consumption has increased from 9 kg in 1961 to more than 17 kg in 2006 (FAO, 2006). With 75% of the world’s wild fisheries wholly or partially depleted, much of the increase in production to meet this demand has come from aquaculture, which now supplies more than 43% of fish available for human consumption, up from 27% in 2000 (FAO, 2006). China now accounts for 70% of the world’s total aquaculture output by quantity and, since its accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001, has become the largest exporter of aquaculture products to the international market (FAO, 2007).
However, there are growing concerns over the safety of aquaculture products from China, particularly in the wake of widespread rejections by importing countries due to the presence of banned antibiotic residues in fish and shrimp, and recent findings of melamine in aquatic feed products (FDA, 2008). With China’s rapid ascendency as a major food producing and exporting nation, the regulatory mechanisms that aim to ensure food safety have struggled to keep pace (Barboza, 2008). This study examines the current state of food safety regulations for aquaculture products in China and how they are operationalized at the level of the producers. Because of China’s importance as an exporter of farmed aquaculture products, the regulatory policies and practices of major importing countries and international organizations, along with their role in Chinese regulation, are also explored.
Section snippets
Materials and methods
The first section of this study examines policies in place in China and importing countries that pertain to the safety of aquaculture food products. Sources include published and unpublished reports from international agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization and the European Directorate-General for Health and Consumers. Reports from government agencies and trade organization such as the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Chinese government’s Ministry of
Results
Of the 61 million tonnes of farmed aquatic food produced in 2004, 42 million tonnes (69%) came from China with more than $7 billion worth of the country’s products destined for the export market (Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, 2006). Freshwater aquaculture production increased by an annual average of 18% between 1978 and 2007 (National Bureau of Statistics, 2008) (Fig. 1). The primary species produced for human consumption are carp, mostly for domestic consumption, and shrimp and
Discussion
The free market operating in the presence of a major discrepancy between regulatory enforcement for export and domestic aquaculture products is a driving force for the two-track system that currently exists. Export products command substantially higher prices than those destined for the domestic market. Therefore exports can generate higher income from sales for the producer who can then invest more to improve inputs for higher quality products. Greater scrutiny by importing countries and the
Conclusion
The current system of aquatic food safety regulation in China functions as two entities: one operating for products destined for the export market and based largely on the requirements of importing countries, and the other with lower standards and levels of enforcement for domestic market products. The system takes a top-down approach that focuses more on the end product rather than the production practices. The food safety system has many parts that are administered by different governmental
Acknowledgment
The Johns Hopkins University Center for a Livable Future at the Bloomberg School of Public Health provided funding for this research.
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