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Pangasius is always among the most criticised foods. Since it began to be imported, its consumption in Spain has always been subject to controversy. Numerous reports circulate on the web about its dangerousness, its dubious origin or its poor nutritional quality. But is eating pangasius, such a cheap fish, really harmful to our health? We will answer these questions for you.
This white fish, whose shape resembles that of a shark, comes from the large rivers in the area of Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and the Malay Peninsula. Due to its origin – the Mekong River in Vietnam is one of the most polluted rivers – or its high mercury levels, this product always appears on every list of ‘harmful’ foods. Moreover, because of its cheap price, it is also one of the most consumed fish in Europe, so the concern is often even greater.
To begin with, before any fish is imported, the product is checked by the health authorities at border inspection posts. Here they check that they come from countries and establishments authorised by the European Union, that they comply with European legislation and that the results of the laboratory analyses are correct. So there is no need to worry about eating pangasius, as confirmed on the website of the Community of Madrid.
Health authorities carry out checks for banned substances
On the other hand, should the authorities detect banned or unauthorised substances in any foodstuff, they would first immediately reject that product. This would be followed by intensified controls on subsequent shipments of that product from the same source. And if necessary, the EU would take measures to safeguard or even ban such imports.
In fact, in 2017, the Ministry of Health investigated the presence of Salmonella and drug residues in 35 samples of pangasius with satisfactory results. The health authorities regularly collect and analyse samples of pangasius already on the market to ensure its safety on the market. In short, you may like this fish more or less, but it is clear that eating pangasius, nowadays, is totally safe.
For more nutrition tips, you can start by finding out the right way to put food in the fridge.
