Warning for Imported Frozen Shrimp Trade: Vietnamese Frozen White Shrimp Meat Detected with Banned Veterinary Drugs; 43.2kg Cargo Returned and Destroyed

Core Keywords: Imported Frozen Shrimp Meat, Veterinary Drug Residues in Aquatic Products

I. Full Incident Announcement (Core Content of Original Release)

On June 23, 2026, the Food and Drug Administration of Taiwan, China issued a public notice on unqualified food inspections at ports. A batch of frozen white shrimp meat manufactured in Vietnam was intercepted and disposed of due to excessive veterinary drug residues, sounding the alarm on food safety for aquatic importers.

Information of Involved Parties

Manufacturer & Exporter: Ca Mau Seafood Processing and Service Joint-Stock Corporation (CASES), Vietnam

Importer: Songjie International Trade Co., Ltd.

Involved Goods: Frozen white shrimp meat, total weight: 43.20 kilograms

Non-compliance Item

The sample contained 0.106 ppm of oxytetracycline. Local aquatic safety standards explicitly prohibit the detection of this veterinary drug in any part of shrimp, and the goods violated relevant provisions of the Food Safety and Sanitation Act.

Disposal Outcome

The entire 43.2-kilogram batch of unqualified frozen shrimp meat was fully returned or destroyed and banned from entering the market for sale.

II. Extended Industry Background (Compiled with Reference to 11 Documents on Aquatic Import & Export and Food Safety)

Tetracycline veterinary drugs are frequent non-compliance substances in aquatic products

Oxytetracycline is a broad-spectrum antibiotic illegally used by shrimp farmers to prevent and treat shrimp diseases. Long-term consumption of aquatic products containing such residues may lead to antimicrobial resistance and intestinal flora disorders in humans. Customs and border ports across multiple regions have long listed it as a key testing indicator for frozen shrimp. In the first half of 2026, multiple batches of white shrimp imported from Ecuador, Vietnam and Thailand to domestic markets were repeatedly notified for similar antibiotic residue violations.

Vietnam exports massive volumes of frozen shrimp to Chinese mainland and Taiwan with stark disparities in quality control

Vietnam is a major global exporter of frozen white shrimp meat, and Ca Mau Province serves as its core farming and processing hub. Small and medium-sized processing factories suffer loose control over aquaculture medication and lack pre-shipment self-inspection. While leading compliant factories maintain farming records and conduct batch-by-batch residue self-tests, small workshops routinely evade inspections, bringing extremely high risks to cross-border trade.

Aquatic inspection standards grow stricter across the Taiwan Strait with cross-border risk alert sharing

The aquatic residue control indicators adopted by Mainland Customs and Taiwan’s Food and Drug Administration are highly consistent. Both sides regularly share blacklists of non-compliant exporters. Once a Vietnamese factory is penalized and notified for violations at Taiwan’s ports, Mainland ports will simultaneously raise the random inspection rate for cargo from that enterprise, substantially increasing importers’ customs clearance costs and detention risks.

Surging import demand for frozen shrimp during summer fishing moratorium amplifies related risks

China’s coastal areas entered the summer fishing moratorium in 2026, shrinking the supply of domestic fresh shrimp. Imported frozen white shrimp meat has become the primary supply for catering businesses and wholesale markets. Many traders place bulk orders for Southeast Asian products yet overlook hidden residue risks at upstream farming links, resulting in a month-on-month rise in notifications of similar non-compliant cases.

III. Practical Recommendations for Aquatic Importers and Processors

Advance source qualification review

When purchasing Vietnamese shrimp products, request farming medication records and factory residue test reports. Prioritize large processing plants holding international aquatic certifications including BAP and ASC, and avoid small workshops without complete traceability systems.

Conduct independent testing upon arrival to reduce losses from port interception

Arrange independent testing for key veterinary drugs including tetracyclines, chloramphenicol and nitrofuran before cargo arrives at ports, instead of fully relying on exporters’ self-inspection reports. If excessive residues are detected, arrange return shipments in advance to avoid storage fees and detention penalties arising from seized goods.

Build a dynamic blacklist database

Continuously monitor non-compliance notifications of aquatic products issued across the Taiwan Strait, the EU, Japan and South Korea. Terminate cooperation directly with Vietnamese and Southeast Asian aquatic enterprises repeatedly listed for violations to avoid associated risks from cross-border violation alerts.

Complete traceability filing for downstream catering channels

When wholesaling to restaurants and fresh food stores, fully retain customs declaration forms and origin test reports. If residue problems are found in terminal random inspections, evidence can be used to pursue liability against upstream exporters.

IV. Industry Summary

Frozen white shrimp meat from Southeast Asia is an essential staple in domestic frozen food circulation, yet the illegal overuse of veterinary drugs at aquaculture farms has long plagued the sector. The destruction of this 43.2kg batch of Vietnamese frozen shrimp contaminated with banned tetracyclines clearly demonstrates tightening cross-border aquatic inspection measures. Aquatic traders must not only focus on procurement costs but also incorporate farming medication management and batch residue testing as core purchasing thresholds. Failure to do so will result in not only cargo destruction and financial losses but also regulatory marking of enterprises, which will adversely affect customs clearance efficiency in the long run.