Belgian chemicals specialist Solvay has entered China’s aquaculture medicines market by launching a hydrogen peroxide-based shrimp anti-bacterial product.
The launch of Solvay’s “Aqualisan” coincides with a new focus from the country’s food and drug agency on efforts to reduce rampant use of carcinogenic alternatives like malachite green and formaldehyde. Tilapia processors, in particular, have been called out for the excessive traces of these chemicals, and exporters have reported finding it increasingly difficult to get uncontaminated fish from farmers in southern China.
Solvay has a large presence in China, with 14 plants and 10 offices across the country producing and distributing specialty chemicals. Solvay believes it can achieve success in China’s highly fragmented animal health sector remains, which features large numbers of firms producing homogenous products and competing on price rather than research.
Residues of antibiotics remain far too high in Chinese seafood, according to Zhu Yu, head of agriculture quality and safety at China’s Ministry of Agriculture. Speaking at the annual China seafood processing conference in Dalian recently, Zhu expressed interest in unifying standards at the local, national, and industry levels.
Photo courtesy of Solvay
