Pingtung County calls for stricter tests on grouper

The Pingtung County Government has told aquaculturists raising grouper to follow the same strict test procedures for exports when selling them locally after grouper from several ponds were found to contain a possible carcinogen.

Huang Cheng-lung (黃振龍), head of the county's Bureau of Agriculture, made the announcement after the Council of Agriculture released the results of tests on domestic grouper. Out of 36 samples collected from 13 aquaculture ponds in the counties of Tainan and Pingtung, 14 were found to contain malachite green, a synthetic dye and medication to control external fish parasites.

Although it has not been confirmed as carcinogenic, the US, EU, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan have banned its use in raising or in the delivery process.