Outdated arsenic levels limit fish supplies to the Russian domestic market

Russia

Regulation & Compliances

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Published Mar 1, 2024

Tridge summary

The Customs Union's regulations, based on Soviet standards, do not differentiate between organic and inorganic arsenic in marine resources, leading to a ban on seafood with excess arsenic and causing issues for fishermen, particularly in the Far Eastern and Northern fishing basins. The deputy head of Rosrybolovstvo, Vasily Sokolov, stated that the problem of determining arsenic levels in fish products has been resolved by scientific institutes. However, the Research Center for Nutrition and Biotechnology, VNIRO, and Rosrybolovstvo's proposed changes to food safety regulations have been criticized by Rospotrebnadzor, with its head of the department of sanitary welfare, Irina Shevkun, stating that there is no significant problem with arsenic in fish products in Russia.

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Original content

Soviet legacy The current regulations of the Customs Union inherited Soviet standards: no more than 5.0 mg/kg of arsenic for marine aquatic biological resources. However, the document does not distinguish between organic and inorganic arsenic, which is toxic to humans. As a result, sea fish, shrimp, crabs, and shellfish that contain an excess of this substance are prohibited. Moreover, if arsenic is detected, fishermen are required to destroy their entire catch at their own expense. For this reason, it is easier for them to export their fish products. This was especially true for fishermen of the Far Eastern and Northern fishing basins. “An entire type of fishery, namely deep-sea fishing, is actually deprived of the Russian market. Products were happily bought in Canada, the USA, Japan, Korea and then in China, but they could not enter the Russian market,” said Vasily Sokolov, deputy head of Rosrybolovstvo. meeting of the working group to ensure transport, logistics and ...

Source: Fishretail