Australia Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) are requesting health specialists to provide their consultancies on impact of antibiotic in one third of aquatic products from Asia on people’s health.

This service discovered a low antibiotic content in two-thirds of samples of shrimp, fish, crab and eel imported from China, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand.

However, insecticides surplus was not found in examining samples from April 2006 to March 2007.

Of the total 100 examining samples, 31 had anti-bacterium positive results including sulfonamide, tetracycline, penicillin and other new antibiotics as flour flouroquinolone and quinolone.

Antibiotics can be ultilized in raising and exploiting aquatic product but the surplus must be annulled before the product is used.

AQIS has given the examining results to Australian Food Standard and Australian Research Committee of Health and Drug to ask for specialists’ opinions about the impact possibility on people’s health if being infected at one-billionth rate.

AQIS is applying the temporary strict examining method planned to come into force early August and terminate when advices of specialists are available.

What should be worried now is one third of examining sample contaminated antibiotic proving that antibiotic has been used in processing.

Mr. Harry Peters, Chairman of Australian Seafood Importers Association, reckoned that a system of import license provision could be considered as an effective measure to regulate this sector.