Analysis of fish and aquaculture

As consumers' health consciousness increases, the popularity of fish, seafood and other aquaculture products such as algae is on the rise. These products deliver valuable nutrients such as high quality, easily digestible protein, essential and healthy fatty acids (omega-3 fatty acids), valuable vitamins and minerals, particularly iodine.

The global fish production has steadily increased in the recent years. While the production of fish and seafood through wild catches remains relatively constant, the rising demand for fish is mostly covered by growth in aquaculture.

Comprehensive legal regulations on environmental pollutants in fish and seafood were established in order to minimize concentrations of residues and contaminants such as heavy metals, dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (e.g. DDT).

Contaminants from feed or substances used as feed additives such as veterinary drugs or the antioxidant ethoxyquin may show up in fish products originating from aquaculture. In case of ethoxyquin its metabolite ethoxyquin dimer may even be detected in larger quantities. Maximum residues levels for ethoxyquin have not been established yet, while different regulations exist for veterinary drug residues.

In order to ensure the quality and safety of fish and aquaculture products, we have merged the relevant analytical expertise into our laboratory of excellence for fish and aquaculture products. Take advantage of this opportunity to control the quality and safety of your products.

Legal bases and guidelines

• Council Regulation (EC) No 2406/96 (common marketing standards for certain fishery products)
• Council Regulation (EEC) No 2136/89 (marketing standards for canned fish)
• Regulation (EU) No 1379/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council (common organisation of the markets in fishery and aquaculture products)
• Commission Regulation (EC) No 2073/2005 (consolidated text) (microbiological criteria for foodstuffs)
• Regulation (EC) No 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council (hygiene rules for food of animal origin)
• Commission Regulation (EU) No 37/2010 (veterinary drugs in foodstuffs of animal origin)
• Regulation (EC) No 470/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council (residue limits for veterinary drug residues)
• Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915 (Contaminants-Regulation)
• Rückstands-Höchstmengenverordnung (RHmV) (German)
• Tierische Lebensmittel-Hygieneverordnung (Tier-LMHV) (German)
• Leitsätze für Fisch und Fischerzeugnisse (Guidelines for fish and fish products, in German)

Membership and approvals of individual Eurofins laboratories^(*)

• Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker (GDCh), Lebensmittelchemische Gesellschaft (LChG), "Arbeitsgruppe Tierarzneimittelrückstände"
• Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker (GDCh), Lebensmittelchemische Gesellschaft (LChG), "Arbeitsgruppe Fisch und Fischerzeugnisse"

Other interesting pages

^(*)Find more details about memberships of our individual laboratories at www.eurofins.de/food-analysis/laboratories

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