Gastroliterary 22: Gastrotragedy

Feds urged to ban fish products from Asia

Canadian Press

OTTAWA — Canadians are buying contaminated fish from China and Vietnam, the Consumers' Association of Canada says.

Citing the use of a dangerous fungicide on fish farms, the association wants the federal government to ban the importing of certain fish products from those two Asian countries.

"A cancer-causing banned fungicide, Malachite Green, is being used by fish farmers in some Asian countries, particularly Vietnam and China.'' Bruce Cran, president of the association, said Friday in a release.

"Independent labs tests of these fish purchased at Canadian supermarkets have shown that consumers are being sold these contaminated fish."

In tests done this year by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, 43 per cent of farmed fish from Vietnam were contaminated with the cancer-causing agent, the association said in a release.

"This is a stunning number,'' Cran said.

[Gastroliterary]