Date of issue: 24 January 2018
Date of effect: Immediate
Attention:
- Industries— Seafood
- Export seafood establishments
- Seafood Export Consultative Committee
- Seafood Trade Advisory Group
- Licensed exporters
- Department of Agriculture and Water Resources—Central and Regional offices
Purpose
To remind exporters of Vietnam’s microbiological requirements for certain seafood products as set out in Vietnam’s Circular 5/2012/TT-BYT of 1 March 2012 Promulgating the national technical regulations on microbiological contaminants in food.
Summary of key points
The department is aware that Vietnamese authorities may undertake port-of-entry testing of imported food, including seafood, to verify compliance with the Circular 5/2012/TT-BYT. The table below outlines the maximum limits of micro-organisms allowed for certain seafood products (Circular 5/2012/TT-BYT).
4. Limits of microbiological contamination in aquaculture product
| No. | Product | Norm | Sampling plan | Allowed limit (CFU/ml or CFU/g) | Norm rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n | c | m | M | ||||
| 4.1 | Alive bivalve mollusc, gastropods, echinoderms, tunicates | E. coli | 1 | 0 | 230(3) | 700(3) | B |
| Salmonella | 5 | 0 | KPH(2) | A | |||
| 4.2 | Shelled mollusc and crustacean or unshelled, heated mollusc and crustacean | E. coli | 5 | 2 | 1 | 101 | B |
| Staphylococci positive for coagulase | 5 | 2 | 101 | 102 | B | ||
| Salmonella | 5 | 0 | KPH(2) | A | |||
(1) for instant-use products
(2) in 25g or 25ml
(3) MPN/100g meat
Abbreviations
n: the number of samples from the consignments to be tested.
c: the maximum amount of samples of which the test results are allowed to lie between m and M. For n samples tested, only c samples are allowed to have the test results lie between m and M.
m: lower limit, it is considered passed if all the test results of n samples do not exceed m.
M: upper limit, it is considered failed if only one test result of n samples exceeds M.
KPH: not detected
Norm A: is the norm required to be tested during the conformity assessment.
Norm B: is the norm not being required to be tested during the conformity assessment if the producers already take risk control measures in the production (HACCP or GMP). If the producer omits to take risk control measures, these norms are compelled to be tested.
Consequences for breaches in microbiological limits
Breaches of microbiological limits may result in the consignment being seized and ordered for re-export or destruction, and the importer may be fined.
The department is working with Vietnamese authorities to further its understanding of the application of this regulation and, if possible, improve import conditions.
The information provided in this advice is current at the time of writing and is intended for use as guidance only and should not be taken as definitive or exhaustive. The Commonwealth endeavours to keep information current and accurate, however, it may be subject to change without notice. Exporters are encouraged to verify these details with their importers prior to undertaking production/exports. The Commonwealth will not accept liability for any loss resulting from reliance on information contained in this notice.
Further information
Contact Exports if you have any queries.