M'sian farmed prawns are safe, says deputy minister

Deputy Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Sim Tze Tsin has assured that Malaysian farmed prawns are safe for consumption.

"The Department of Fisheries has a stringent monitoring system against all shrimp farms across the country.

"Regular checks and enforcement are done to ensure Malaysian food safety and export quality," he wrote on his Facebook page after a visit to an unspecified prawn farm this morning.

Sim's (above) visit followed news reports by The Star which claimed that the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) had blacklisted some Malaysian prawn exporters due to excess antibiotics - especially nitrofuran and chloramphenicol - found in samples.

However, Sim said most of the companies listed by the USFDA were mostly involved in the transhipment of prawns which originate from other countries.

He pointed out that the reports by The Star cited USFDA data from 2009 to 2018. 

"Since then, no new company has been reported. I am surprised that this issue is being reported (in the media) again in 2020," he said.

He said most Malaysian prawn farmers are using probiotics in place of antibiotics and adopted better farming practices.

"This shrimp farm I visited this morning uses enzymes to treat the water to create a better pond environment. Therefore the mortality rate is as low as 5 percent to 10 percent.

"They don’t even use probiotics treatment. I am very proud that our shrimp industry has adopted new technologies and new farming methods to ensure food safety and quality. And it is so tasty!" he said.

In a statement yesterday, the Fisheries Department said 2,466 samples had been taken from prawn farms since 2008 for chloramphenicol, nitrofuran and nitroimidazole - all of which turned out negative.

These samples were taken from farms which serve the export market and are registered with the Fisheries Department.

The department also noted that Singapore has never found nitrofuran and chloramphenicol in prawns imported from Malaysia.