Master the five safety principles and eat shrimp with confidence during the epidemic!

Since July 2020, the news that Chinese customs authorities have detected the coronavirus on the outer packaging of frozen white shrimp imported from Ecuador has attracted the attention of many Chinese consumers. What are white shrimp? Why are there viruses on the inner wall and outer packaging of imported frozen white shrimp containers? How should we deal with it? In the current epidemic situation, can we still eat seafood?

What is Penaeus vannamei?

The white shrimp, scientifically known as Penaeus vannamei, has a light green body with no markings and can reach a maximum length of 23 cm. The color of the large antennae is blue-gray, and the legs are chalky white with no markings on the body. Compared with other shrimps, the head and chest of the white shrimp are relatively short, with a ratio of about 1:3 to the abdominal segments. The tooth pattern of the frontal angle is an important basis for its classification. The white shrimp has 8-9 teeth located on the upper edge of its frontal angle, and only 1-2 teeth on the lower edge. It is native to the Central and South American regions on the east coast of the Pacific Ocean, from Sonora in northern Mexico to northern Peru.

In July 1988, Penaeus vannamei was introduced to my country from Hawaii, USA by the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. In August 1992, artificial breeding achieved initial success. In 1994, a small batch of shrimp seedlings were obtained through artificial breeding. In 1999, SPF Penaeus vannamei seedlings were successfully cultivated and large-scale breeding began. At present, white shrimp farming is developing rapidly in 9 provinces (regions and cities) in my country, including Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Fujian, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai, Shandong and Tianjin, and has become the main shrimp farming variety in my country.

Since whiteleg shrimp is already the main shrimp farming species in my country, why do we still need to import whiteleg shrimp? The first reason is that there is "not enough to eat". The amount of domestic farming and fishing is not enough, and the rest can only be made up through imports. The second reason is that it is "delicious". Ecuador is the origin of whiteleg shrimp and has excellent seedlings; and the hot weather is most suitable for the growth of whiteleg shrimp.

Why are there viruses on the inner walls and outer packaging of imported frozen white shrimp containers?

my country's importer of white shrimp is Ecuador, located in the northwest of South America. So far, there have been more than 95,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases. If its export products are not strictly regulated, there will be safety risks. The positive detection of COVID-19 nucleic acid in the inner wall or outer packaging samples of frozen white shrimp containers may be related to the fact that COVID-19 can survive at low temperatures, food manufacturers are negligent in management, and some foreign regions are "working with the virus".

Cold chain logistics is a logistics activity based on freezing technology, refrigeration technology and cold storage technology, which ensures that cold chain items are always kept in a specified low-temperature environment in each link from production, circulation, sales to consumers, so as to ensure the quality of cold chain food and reduce the loss of cold chain items.

During the epidemic, there are still many problems in cold chain logistics, such as the lack of an emergency response system; the dispersion of cold chain operation objects; the difficulty in operating customs emergency policies during the epidemic; the lack of professional capabilities of cold chain logistics companies; the lack of cold chain-related hygiene standards and the difficulty in virus disinfection in production factories; and loopholes in the management of agricultural wholesale markets.

Cold chain logistics involves a wide range of equipment, and prevention and control measures should be formulated for each link of cold chain logistics. Strengthening the supervision of imported products that are frozen and stored at low temperatures, and strengthening customs prevention and control, can keep the new crown out.

Can we still eat seafood during the epidemic?

Imported fresh food can be purchased and eaten normally, but attention should be paid to avoiding the risk of contact transmission and following the five principles of food safety recommended by the World Health Organization to take precautions.

1. Use safe water and raw materials.

2. Keep clean. Disinfect food processing surfaces regularly; do not rinse raw meat under the tap; wash hands with soap and running water after handling raw meat and aquatic products.

3. Keep raw and cooked food separate to prevent cross contamination.

4. Food must be cooked thoroughly.

5. Keep food at a safe temperature.

References:

[1] Ecuador expresses its stance on COVID-19 detection in frozen shrimp exported to China. Baijiahao-China Youth Daily. [2020.07.16]

[2] Zhao Haichun, ed., How Much Do You Know About the Undersea World, Anhui Fine Arts Publishing House, March 2013, p. 69

[3] Wu Xudong, ed., Ningxia Modern Fisheries Development Planning and Strategy Research, Sunshine Publishing House, November 2016, p. 133

[4] What does it mean when the coronavirus is found on the outer packaging of imported frozen white shrimp? . Nanhai.cn. [2020.07.12]

[5] Lv Jianjun, Hou Yunxian, Cold Chain Logistics, China Economic Publishing House, January 2018, p. 3

[6] Ministry of Commerce Technical Training Class, Practical Refrigeration Technology, Light Industry Press, September 1958, p. 299

[7] Xiamen Fisheries College Refrigeration Teaching and Research Section, Refrigeration Technology Questions and Answers, Agricultural Press, 1981.05, p.394

[8] Zhou Quanshen, Modern Logistics Engineering Technology and Equipment, China Fortune Publishing House, April 2016, p. 292

[9] Behind the Coronavirus Infection in Imported White Shrimp Packaging: There Are More Than 40,000 Cold Chain Companies in my country. Baijiahao-Beijing News. [2020.07.16]

[10] How to solve the problem of international cold chain logistics under the epidemic? .Sohu. [2020.07.10]

[11] Following imported salmon, the coronavirus was also detected on the outer packaging of imported frozen shrimp. Sohu. [2020.07.20]

[12] China Fisheries Yearbook 2019

[13] Zhang Xihua, ed. Advanced Training Course for Agricultural Products Brokers [M]. 2014: p. 182