Russia: dioxin found in fishmeal shipment from Latvia

According to a report by the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance (Rosselkhoznadzor), the contamination was discovered during routine monitoring by the Russian veterinary services.

“Rosselkhoznadzor consider this further evidence of the lack of effective control on products shipped to the trade partners of the Customs Union by the veterinary services of EU countries. This has happened despite official assurances by national veterinary services that the requirements of the Customs Union and Russia have been implementation by exporting enterprises on production and supply of products controlled by the state veterinary supervision.” the report said.

Recently eggs in the German states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony have been identified to contain dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls. The German Veterinary Service has not yet been able to identify the source.

Cases of contamination or adulteration of feed protein coming from EU countries have caused suspension of deliveries of such goods from March 26 this year. However EU members could still supply feed processing products, including fishmeal. Russian experts say that Rosselkhoznadzor may now consider the possibility of also banning the importation of these products.

Rosselkhoznadzor have appealed to the Veterinary Service of Latvia requesting an internal investigation on how dioxin contaminated the fishmeal, as well as the adoption of urgent measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.