Survey of Veterinary Drug Residues in Imported Aquaculture Shrimp From US Retail Stores, 2021 and 2022.

Aquaculture has become the fastest-growing sector of the global food economy, with shrimp representing the most traded seafood commodity worldwide. Intensive production practices and inadequate biosecurity can lead to inappropriate antimicrobial use, potentially resulting in unsafe drug residues in shrimp products for human consumption. The US Food and Drug Administration conducted a targeted surveillance survey to assess veterinary drug residue prevalence in imported aquaculture shrimp from the top three countries exporting shrimp to the United States: India, Ecuador, and Indonesia. A total of 504 retail shrimp samples collected across eight states in the United States during 2021 and 2022 were analyzed using validated methods for multiclass drug residues and other chemical compounds. Veterinary drug residues were detected in 3.7% of samples, primarily nitrofurans (73% of positive samples), along with triphenylmethane dyes, amphenicols, and tetracyclines. Most detected residues exceeded FDA target testing levels and included compounds with known carcinogenic or genotoxic properties. No significant associations were found between residue detection and country of origin, collection year, or product market form. Other chemical compounds assessed were not detected. These findings support risk-based import surveillance strategies and highlight the continued need for monitoring prohibited veterinary drugs in imported seafood.