FDA warns consumers after discovering contaminated squid from China
The Food and Drug Administration of Thailand (FDA) warned people to carefully check seafood packages after frozen squid imported from China was found to contain cadmium exceeding the safety standard.
The FDA announcement came on Wednesday after a random check at the Lat Krabang Food and Drug checkpoint in May this year. The Department of Medical Sciences had found a package of frozen whole squid imported from China to contain 3.27 milligrams of cadmium per kilogram, which exceeded the safety standard of less than 2mg per kg.
The seafood was manufactured by Fujian Minwell Food Industrial Ltd in China and was allegedly imported by M Global Sourcing, which is based in Samut Sakhon, the FDA said.
The 1kg packet of squid was manufactured on April 29 this year and had an expiration date of April 28, 2024, according to the FDA.
The agency said it had filed a charge against the importer for violating the Food Act of 1979: importing contaminated food for sale, which has a maximum fine of 50,000 baht or two years imprisonment, or both.
The FDA warned people to check frozen seafood packages and avoid buying products manufactured by the Chinese company.
For inquiries on food safety, contact FDA hotline 1556 or Line@FDAThai, or visit Facebook @FDAThai or E-mail: [email protected].
Cadmium is a chemical element that can cause acute or chronic toxicity if consumed in high volumes through food, according to the National Food Institute. Symptoms of acute toxicity include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, headache, muscleache, stomachache, shock or liver and kidney damage. Chronic symptoms include a loss of smell, weight loss, anaemia, having trouble breathing, yellowing of the teeth or liver and kidney damage.
