report on food hygiene and safety control in basa ... - SPS Việt Nam

REPORTON FOOD HYGIENE AND SAFETY CONTROL IN BASA CATFISHINDUSTRY IN VIETNAMI. Summary on basa catfish farming in Vietnam- The Mekong River has its source in China, flowing across Laos, Thailand,Cambodia and Vietnam and empties into the sea. 4 sub-Mekong countries havingtraditional basa catfish farming are Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.- Vietnamese basa catfish are produced mainly in provinces of An Giang, Can Tho,Dong Thap, Vinh Long and Tien Giang by industrial method with cages (major typeof Basa farming before 2000). Recently, farming in ponds is more popular to assurenatural flow of the river and constant circulation of in and out waters as well ascontrol more effectively the culturing.- Breeding sources: natural or artificial. Feeding method: mainly industrial feeds andcombined with in-place formula of cooked ground fish and cereal flour. Raisingperiod: 6-8 months.- Basa farming establishments must be in compliance with Vietnamese requirementsrelated to food hygiene and safety and veterinary hygiene conditions as well asundergo regular inspections and surveillance (Sector Standards 28 TCN 176:2002Cage culture of basa bocourti, basa catfish – conditions for food safety; 28 TCN192: 2004 Cage culture area - conditions for food safety; provisions on veterinaryhygiene conditions in Veterinary Ordinance 2004 and Decree No. 33/2005 of March15, 2005 of the Government).- Some householders in An Giang province have applied farm management system incompliance with SQF 2000. Tra, basa farming establishments are applyingsustainable aquaculture ( GAP and CoC) which have been inspected and certifiedaccording to the Decision No. 56/2008/QD-BNN of April 29, 2008 of the Ministryof Agriculture and Rural Development, focusing on input factors (quality of supplywaters and breeds), control during feeding (use of feed, veterinary drugs, chemicals,water changing…) and output factors (treatment of waste water and mud beforedischarge) for purpose of food safety, disease-free and environment protection.- Veterinary drugs, chemicals and antibiotics used in aquaculture: the Ministry ofFisheries which had been merged into the Ministry of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment had issued the Decision No.07/2005/QD-BTS of February 22, 2005which was replaced by the Circular No. 15/2009/TT-BNN of March 17, 2009 of theMinistry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The Circular No. 15/2009/TT-BNN promulgated the lists of veterinary drugs, chemicals and antibiotics prohibitedand restricted from use in fishery production and trading (enclosed list). These listsfully conform to requirements of the EU, the US, Canada,… Farmers areresponsible for not using the banned drugs, chemicals and antibiotics and stop usingdrugs before harvesting in conformity with regulations.- Veterinary drugs, chemicals and feeds used in aquaculture are must be examined formanufacturing / trade license and requested for testing / field trials before circulationin Vietnam.1

- The number of tra, basa catfish processing establishments is about 120 (updated tothe beginning of 2009); all of them meet food hygiene and safety conditionsaccording to Vietnamese requirements; many of them meet strict requirements ofimporting countries such as the EU, the US,…- All fishery processing establishments have been trained on and applied quality andsafety management program based on HACCP. The results of annual inspections(by the EU and the US) showed that HACCP plans of the establishments wereappropriate and effective.- The consignments intended for export to the EU, the US and Canada must be testedat the laboratories of international standard (ISO 17025) before being dispatched.- Vietnamese tra, basa catfish have been exported to over 128 countries / territories,including difficult markets as the EU, Russia, the US, Australia, Canada…which arealso the major consumers of Vietnamese tra, basa fish.II. Food hygiene and safety control in tra, basa catfish production in Vietnam1. Organizational system1.1. Central competent authorityVietnamese Competent Authority in charge of food hygiene and safety of fisheryproducts is the National Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department(NAFIQAD) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, including:- NAFIQAD Headquarters in Hanoi,- 02 Regional Agencies in Nha Trang and Hochiminh City;- 06 NAFIQAD Branches having 06 laboratories which are sufficiently equippedto test for food criteria including micro-biological, chemical and antibioticresidues, contaminants...).Total staffs: 384 (updated to 31 st January 2009). Professional officials have everbeen trained on food safety control in Vietnam and foreign countries such as theNetherlands, France, USA, Canada, Korea…).1.2. Provincial competent authorities:Provincial competent authorities have 789 officials in total (until 31 st January2009). Annually, provincial competent authorities send their professional officials totraining courses on fishery quality and safety control organized by NAFIQAD.1.3. Research institutes assisting state management in food safety control:Monitoring Centers for Aquaculture environment and Epidemic (under Institutes ofAquaculture Research No. 1, 2 and 3) are available.2. Environment monitoring results in Tra and Basa farmingDuring the recent years, in order to develop sustainable tra and basa farming, theMinistry of Agriculture and Rural Development has carried out surveys and planning offarming areas in accordance with Sector Standards on Tra and Basa farming (No.:28TCN 192:2004) to ensure food safety and friendly environment.Vietnamese Competent Authorities regularly conduct environment and foodsafety surveillance in aquaculture areas:2

- Since 2004, Monitoring Centers for Aquaculture environment and Epidemicunder Research Institutes for Aquaculture have developed the programs ofaquaculture environment monitoring and surveillance in Mekong Delta Zonewith frequency of 4 times a year in its upper, middle and lower reaches. Thesurveillance results show that water quality index (pH, turbidity, salinity, DO,H 2 S, Nitrit,…) range in the permitted level and meet the water standards forfresh water fish.- The sanitation monitoring program for bivalve mollusk production areas hasbeen implemented since 1999. The microbiological testing results (E. Coli,Coliform…) in bivalve mollusk production areas in lower Mekong show thatthese production areas are graded at class B and authorized to harvest bivalvemollusks to be processed for export to the EU, the US, New Zealand…(harvesting notes and monitoring results are regularly uploaded on website:www.nafiqad.gov.vn). This demonstrates that water in Mekong River has not yetbeen contaminated with microorganism.- The residues monitoring program for certain harmful substances in aquaculturefish and products thereof has been implemented since 1999 and the results of theprogram show that residues of contaminants (heavy metals, pesticides…) arenot-detected or detected at the levels lower than the MRLs in tra, basa catfishflesh (Notifications of monthly and annually monitoring results are uploaded onwebsite: www.nafiqad.gov.vn).The above monitoring programs show that Mekong River has not been microbiologicallynor physicochemically polluted, it is appropriate for aquaculture and fishcultured in Mekong basin comprehensively meet the food hygiene and safetyrequirements.3. Hygiene and safety control of tra, basa production3.1. Control results at aquaculture and post-harvesting stages- Local competent authorities in provinces and cities regularly inspect andmonitor the use of chemicals, antibiotics and hygiene conditions in Tra and Basa farms.The farms applied sustainable aquaculture models according to GAP, CoC are inspectedand certified in conformity with Decision No. 56/2008/QDD-BNN dated 29 April 2008of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.- To prevent from and verify the abuse of antibiotics, chemicals and harmfulsubstances in aquaculture, particularly in Tra and Basa farming, NAFIQAD has beenimplementing the monitoring Program for certain harmful substances and residuesthereof in aquaculture animals since 1999. The results of the program show thatresidues of contaminants (heavy metals, pesticides…) are not-detected or detected at thelevels lower than the MRLs in Tra and Basa catfish flesh (Notifications of monthly andannually monitoring results are uploaded on website: www.nafiqad.gov.vn). ThisProgram has been inspected and recognized by competent authorities of the EU, the US,Canada about the organizational system, legislation and practical control activities.- In addition, NAFIQAD has also carried out the Post-Harvest SanitationMonitoring Program including carrying out inspection of hygiene conditions at primaryproduction units (fishing vessels, fishing ports/landing sites, middlemen…); samplingof post-harvested fishery products (including Tra and Basa) for testing and verifying3

criteria of chemicals, antibiotics, pathogenic microbiology and preservation substances.Violations are strictly treated.3.2. Control results at processing stage- Fishery processing establishments are enforced to build up and implementHACCP-based quality management program, risk management (antibiotic, ch emicalresidues, pathogenic microbiology, toxin, etc) in compliance with Vietnameserequirements (Sector Standards: No. 28 TCN 129:1998 on fishery processingestablishments - HACCP-based quality management program and No. 28 TCN130:1998 on fishery processing establishments - basic hygiene and food safetyconditions).- Fishery processing establishments are prohibited to use raw materials withoutclear origin. Raw materials must be tested for pathogenic microbiology, banned andrestricted antibiotics, chemical residues before being processed by establishments.- NAFIQAD verifies the effectiveness of the own-check applied by theestablishments by carrying out regular inspection and taking samples to test for foodsafety criteria if necessary, in accordance with Vietnamese regulations (the DecisionNo. 649/2000/ QĐ-BTS dated 04 August 2000 of the Minister of Fisheries, replaced bythe Decision No. 117/2008/ QĐ-BNN dated 11 December 2008 of the Minister ofAgriculture and Rural Development).- Under the framework of regular inspections carried out by Competentauthorities of the EU, the US, Canada, Korea, etc.. , the effectiveness of food safetycontrol system in Vietnamese fishery, particularly Tra and Basa processing, have beenrecognized. Please see the number of Vietnamese fishery processing establishmentsapproved to export their products (including tra, basa) to some imp orting countries inthe Table 1; Quantity of Tra and Basa exported in 2008 in Table 2.Table 1. Number of establishments approved for export, broken down bymarkets (updated to 20 th April 2009)MarketsTotal of approvedprocessing establishmentsApproved processingestablishments of Tra and BasaEU 300 90Japan 440 120USA 438 90Korea 438 120China 440 120Canada 232 86Source: The National Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department4

Table 2. Quantity of Tra and Basa exported in 2008 (by market)Item Markets Quantity (tons) Item Markets Quantity (tons)I. EU: 224.310 tonnes1 Spain 46.237 14 Denmark 1.3702 Germany 41.959 15 Bulgaria 1.7233 Netherlands 33.278 16 Cyprus 8444 Poland 37.056 17 Latvia 1.2265 Belgium 14.399 18 Slovenia 5756 Italy 16.137 19 Austria 3947 UK 5.960 20 Slovakia3458 France 4.807 21 (Slovak HungaryRep.)3359 Portugal 4.372 22 Malta 14610 Lithuania 4.353 23 Estonia 16211 Sweden 2.744 24 Finland 3312 Greece 2.955 25 Ireland 3313 Czech 2.866 26 Luxembourg 1II. North America: 32.057 tons27 USA 24.179 28 Canada 7.878III. ASEAN: 33.953 tons29 Singapore 11.237 33 Cambodia 1.00730 Thailand 8.163 34 Indonesia 1.00431 Malaysia 8.584 35 Brunei 67932 Philippines 3.279IV. China and Hongkong: 18.519 tons36 Hongkong 16.647 37 China 1.872V. Other markets: 331.988 tons38 Russia 118.155 51 Georgia 3.05439 Ukraine 74.359 52 Israel 2.18040 Mexico 23.154 53 Dominican 2.58641 Egypt 26.630 54 Switzerland 1.71742 Australia 12.776 55 Coet 1.68643 Arabia 10.831 56 Syria 1.84044 UAE 10.244 57 Taiwan 2.21145 Japan 5.217 58 Costa Rica 1.32546 Jordan 4.419 59 Moldova (Rep.) 1.72347 Rumania 4.929 60 Algeria 1.05548 Colombia 3.562 61 Croatia 90849 Li bang 3.369 62 Bahrain 93650 Belarus 3.279 63 Oman 8565

64 Kazakhstan 950 97 Northern4265 Qatar 538 98 Mariana Brazil 42Islands66 Nigeria 717 99 Cuba 5367 Guatemala 477 100 Argentina 4968 Mauritius 329 101 Liechtenstein 7469 Korea 318 102 Libya 5570 Dominica 457 103 Panama 3371 Serbia 318 104 Liberia 4672 South Africa 279 105 Cameroon 4873 Chile 280 106 Guinea 1974 Montenegro 321 107 Armenia 5075 Montserrat 301 108 Polynesia 2176 Iraq 248 109 Albania 2477 Yugoslavia 217 110 Iran 1178 Morocco 229 111 Monaco 2179 Portugal 208 112 Malawi 2280 Reunion 183 113 New Caledonia 2281 Puerto Rico 131 114 Calêđôni Cote d’Ivoire 2382 Honduras 176 115 (Ivory Afghanistan 23Coast)83 Ireland 151 116 Mozambique 4884 Peru 123 117 Sierra Leone 2385 Venezuela 144 118 Suriname 2586 New Zealand 152 119 Bhutan 2287 Pakistan 137 120 Kyrgyzstan 2588 Norway 108 121 Macau 889 Tunisia 91 122 Mali 1590 Senegal 95 123 Mauritania 1291 Guam 103 124 India 1092 Aruba 59 125 Martinique 893 Bahamas 63 126 Ghana 294 Azerbaijan 75 127 Antigua and295 Uruguay 56 128 Barbuda Maldives 196 Macedonia 74 Total 640.827Source : Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers - VASEP(Source: Vietnam Customs)6

3.3. Inspection and certification of pre-export fishery consignments- In accordance with Vietnamese regulations (Decision No. 118/2008/QĐ-BNNdated 11 December 2008 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), theinspection and certification of pre-export fishery consignments are performed in linewith requirements of importing countries. In case importing countries do not apply thisrequirement, the inspection and certification fishery consignments intended for exportcan be carried out as required by consignor (importer/exporter).- To certify a consignment, NAFIQAD Branches need to verify not onlyproduction records, but also origin, packaging and labeling of the consignment. Thesampling for testing organoleptic, physical and microorganism criteria ( E. Coli,Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, Vibrio cholera ...) and chemicals residues(Malachite Green, Chloramphenicol, Nitrofurans...) are carried as required by importingcountries or consignor. The Health Certificate can only be granted to the consignmentin case of satisfatory testing results.- Since 2002, NAFIQAD laboratories have applied quality management and beenaccredited with ISO 17025 by Vietnam Bureau of Accreditation (VILAS -BoA),Singapore Accreditation Council (SAC-Singlas) and Norwegian Accreditation (NA) .Annually, these laboratories have also participated in international proficiency testingprograms and achieved sucessful results. NAFIQAD testing capabilities have also beenrecognized by the EU, USA... following their regular inspections carried out inVietnam.- Up to date, NAFIQAD has signed bilateral cooperation arrangements withcertain EU member countries, Korea, Russia, China, Canada, Taiwan... These countrieshave also recognized NAFIQAD competencies on quality and safety control of fish andfishery products. The inspection and certification of fishery consignments intended forexport to these countries are carried out in compliance their requirements.4. ConclusionQuality and safety control of fishery products (including Tra and Basa catfish) inVietnam is carried out comprehensively and effectively in the whole production chainfrom aquaculture to processing and export.The competencies and effectiveness of Vietnamese Competent Authority in charge offishery quality control have been approved by competent authorities of importingcountries (EU, USA, Canada, Russia, Korea, China…). Vietnamese fishery products(including Tra and Basa catfish) have been exported to over 128 countries/territoriesand appreciated by foreign consumers.NATIONAL AGRO-FORESTRY-FISHERIESQUALITY ASSURANCE DEPARTMENT7