Catfish Farmers of America Warn Lawmakers of Import Risks
The Catfish Farmers of America (CFA) has reportedly released a commissioned report that evaluates the human health risks associated with catfish consumption. Presented to lawmakers and backed by Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), the report identifies several major hazards for aquaculture fish, including “pathogenic microorganisms, antimicrobial/drug residues, and environmental chemicals.” In particular, the findings cite regulatory surveillance testing that revealed illegal antibiotics, drugs and other chemicals in imported fish but not in the domestic aquaculture supply. “The use and resulting presence of these antibiotics can cause microorganisms to gradually become resistant to the antibiotics and their ability to treat human infections is thereby decreased,” states Exponent, Inc.’s Center for Chemical Regulation and Food Safety, which authored the report.
The report thus recommends that freshwater aquaculture “should have an inspection system that differs from other seafood systems,” with an emphasis on “prevention of contamination across the entire catfish production, processing, and distribution chain.” It specifically notes that the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service is better equipped than either the Food and Drug Administration or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (i) “to define performance standards for microbial hazards,” (ii) “to conduct baseline testing to determine the current presence of contaminants in the foods across an industry,” (iii) “to test production in individual facilities,” and (iv) “to evaluate each establishment’s progress toward achieving acceptable performance levels.” In addition, the report suggests that the non-governmental Global Food Safety Initiative would place further constraints on marketing products which cannot meet stringent safety standards.
Meanwhile, the National Fisheries Institute (NFI) has declared the report a manufactured food safety scare to eliminate foreign competition in the catfish market. According to a July 22, 2010, NFI press release, the contention that catfish is a “major contributor to antibiotic resistance in the U.S. is an absurd exaggeration.”
