RIYADH — In response to the recent media reports claiming that the new coronavirus (COVID-19) was detected on the packaging of a batch of shrimp imported to China from Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Aquaculture Society has issued a statement.

In the statement on Monday carried by the Saudi Press Agency, the society said that domestic aquaculture companies and their processing facilities comply with very strict national and international occupational health and food safety standards. Because of these high standards, its products have been approved for exports to very demanding international markets (EU, US, Japan, China).

“Since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, along with all relevant national authorities and in collaboration with the private sector, have taken all precautionary measures, based on international guidelines, to ensure the health of the workers in all food-producing facilities and to ensure the safety of the products, the statement read.

“While there is absolutely no scientific evidence supporting that COVID-19 can be transmitted through food products, local aquaculture producers regularly send samples to the Saudi Food and Drug authorities for testing in order to ensure the safety of the personnel handling the products after processing and packaging,” the statement added.

It further said that the society confidently reaffirms to the public and the industry stakeholders (traders, exporters, retailers, etc.) that the domestic aquaculture companies are following strict measures to limit the spread of the Coronavirus to the community, and reassures of the country’s commitment to providing safe and nutritious food amid this global pandemic.

According to the media reports, the municipal health commission in the western Chinese city of Lanzhou found one positive sample on Friday on the inner packaging of imported frozen shrimp from Saudi Arabia that had passed through customs in the coastal city of Tianjin. — SG