According to the Egyptian Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Amin Abaza the import of Vietnamese basa is cent percent safe for consuming. Egyptian officials have conducted a successful test on the samples of Vietnamese basa and announced the result yesterday.
Several Egyptian news websites, including those of the Al Ahram (Pyramid) newspaper and the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, also quoted other Egyptian officials as confirming that Vietnamese basa fish is safe for the country’s consumer to eat. Egypt’s Minister of Health and Population Hatim Al Zabali said that 87 out of 95 samples taken from 95 consignments of Vietnamese basa fish met health and safety standards and only eight were found to be infected with harmful bacteria.
It is informed that the samples had been collected by his ministry’s research centre over the past three months. Dr Youssef Mamdouh, head of the Egyptian Veterinary Quarantine Agency, opined that since January, Egypt has imported 265 consignments of basa fish
– a total of 29,000 tonnes – but only nine have been returned for failing to meet quality standards. Dr Mamdouh considered this normal as it can occur to any other frozen products such as beef and chicken.
This announcement has resumed the granting of customs clearance to Vietnamese seafood exports after a five-day suspension, confirmed by Egyptian Ambassador to Vietnam Alla Elleissy.
