The Council of Agriculture (COA) is investigating possible melamine contamination in Taiwan's aquaculture industry following the discovery of the additive in a brand of locally produced fish feed, Asia Pulse reported today.
Melamine is a plastic byproduct that can be used to increase the protein content of food but can be lethal if consumed in large amounts.
Sha Chih-I, director-general of the COA's Fisheries Agency, told Asia Pulse that the agency will identify all fish farms that have used the contaminated fish feed within the past two days and then will test their fish for melamine residues.
The contaminated fish feed, produced by a manufacturer based in the southern county of Pingtung, is intended for grouper, milkfish and Japanese sea perch.
The investigation was prompted by last week's discovery of melamine in a fish-feed ingredient, squid powder, in South Korea.
