Thai FDA strictly control imported fish from Japan

BANGKOK, October 31 (TNA) - Thailand's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has assured consumers of its measures to effectively block fish imports from Japan, if contaminated with radioactive materials. Thai FDA Secretary-General Dr. Boonchai Som-boon-suk urged Wednesday that local consumers not to be worried over any contaminated fish imports from Japan, as his agency has strictly screened all imports of seafood products from Japan to ensure that they are always free from any radioactive contamination. Dr. Boonchai acknowledged that the Thai FDA has required local importers of fish and other seafood products from eight Japanese prefectures affected by radiation leaks from a troubled Japanese nuclear power plant in the wake of a massive earthquake and a tsunami in Japan's Northeast on March 11, 2011, including, Fukushima, Gunma, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Miyagi, Chiba, Kanagawa and Shizuoka, to always show a certificate of analysis issued by Tokyo government-authorized laboratories to assure that the imported seafood are safe for consumption. Dr. Boonchai told journalists that the Thai FDA has, thus, strictly inspected all imported food products in accordance with the Ministry of Public Health's relevant notices or announcements, insisting if there was no certificate of analysis in any shipment of seafood products from the eight Japanese prefectures, the products would be strictly blocked from entering the Thai market. The Thai FDA chief's remarks followed recent reports that fish from the sea near Japan's Fukushima Prefecture was found to be contaminated with cesium at a level higher than international safety standards. (TNA)