Ms. Xia from Nanjing, Jiangsu, reported that she found parasites in cod fillets she purchased from Sam’s Club when she was preparing supplementary food for her child. Sam’s Club responded that parasites in wild fish are a normal phenomenon. The Qingdao Dagang Customs stated that there is no mandatory testing requirement for frozen fish intended for non-raw consumption.
Ms. Xia intended to use cod fillets as supplementary food for her child. She stated, “I was planning to remove the fish bones first for the baby, but while picking, I found these long, unidentified organisms, possibly parasites.” She also mentioned that she had eaten it twice before, “I didn’t know, and I can’t guarantee whether I have ingested the worm eggs into my stomach, which may affect the baby’s health.”
The after-sales specialist at Sam’s Club in Yuhua, Nanjing, explained that the cod fillets were wild-caught, and the presence of parasites in fish is a normal phenomenon. “Wild cod and some other fish species commonly have parasites. They are generally frozen rapidly after being caught, possibly at temperatures of minus forty or fifty degrees Celsius.”
Sam’s Club provided an entry goods inspection and quarantine certificate issued by Qingdao Dagang Customs. Qingdao Dagang Customs staff explained that all imported foods have national mandatory standards (GB). Parasite testing is not a mandatory item for frozen fish not intended for direct consumption, but there are clear requirements for raw fish intended for consumption.
The Deputy Director of the Tiexinqiao Sub-Bureau of the Nanjing Market Supervision Administration stated that food science and testing agencies do not recommend consuming wild seafood raw, but as long as it is thoroughly cooked, it poses no harm to the body. With the intervention of the competent authorities, Sam’s Club and Ms. Xia have reached an agreement through negotiation.