• There have been numerous trade failures regarding exportation of Australian prawns into Asia and Europe. These mainly relate to cadmium and Vibrios. ~4900 tonnes wild caught prawns were exported in 2007/2008 compared with total capture of 19,000 tonnes.
• Due to these trade issues the Seafood Access Forum have ranked Vibrios and cadmium as ‘high priority’.
• Vibrios have been responsible for illness outbreaks in Australia. Due to the role of Vibrios in illness outbreaks Codex is progressing standards on the control of Vibrios and domestic requirements for testing are increasing e.g. Woolworths requires testing for Vibrio cholerae.
• Standard laboratory methods are time consuming and don’t differentiate ‘disease-causing’ and ‘non-disease causing’ strains and so they ‘overscore’ (‘false positives’). The lack of this capability hampers efforts to dispute trade detentions related to the presence of Vibrios.
• This project aims to address this need by developing a rapid method that distinguishes pathogenic and non pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus, V. cholerae and V. vulnificus to underpin domestic and international trade requirements.
• Cadmium trade failures are related to the low maximum level set by the EU and some Chinese jurisdictions. Attempts by the Australian government have been unsuccessful in negotiating a higher limit.
• Recent data published on nutrients in food that may mitigate the adsorption of cadmium by humans has not been fully considered by regulatory authorities. Consideration of this may support the Codex position that no limit is required.
• This project aims to provide a risk-benefit assessment on cadmium in prawns to underpin further multi-lateral trade negotiations and Codex.
• Other potential food safety risks to the prawn industry will also be assessed and key areas of concern will be prioritised to assist in directing resources to issues of high business risk.
Final report
Australia typically produces around 20,000 tonnes of prawns annually, of which around 25% is exported. The Australian Prawn Fisheries Council (APFC) and the Seafood CRC commissioned SARDI to undertake a food safety risk rating of prawns consumed in Australia. This project scientifically evaluated the human health impact of chemical and microbial hazards associated with prawns.
Risk ratings indicate a very low risk of human illness associated with the consumption of prawns produced domestically, imported prawns and exported prawns. This finding is consistent with the public health record which shows few reports of illness related to the consumption of prawns that have been handled appropriately