Busan Unveils 2026 Seafood Safety Plan, Expanding Inspections and Vet‑Drug Controls

Breaking: Busan Institute Unveils 2026 Detailed Plan to Fortify Seafood Safety Inspections

The Busan City Fisheries Resources Research Institute has announced a thorough push for 2026, unveiling a Detailed Implementation Plan for Seafood Safety Examination. The initiative prioritizes intensified inspections of high-consumption seafood and breeds with a history of non-compliance, aiming to elevate safety across the supply chain.

In a briefing on the latest findings, institute officials confirmed that last year’s seafood radioactivity tests showed full compliance for products in pre-production and distribution stages. The verification underscores the effectiveness of ongoing monitoring programs and sets the stage for broader safety work in the year ahead.

Seafood safety checks are conducted by randomly sampling products from service stations, test sites, and fish farms, with analyses typically taking about three hours using gamma nuclide equipment. Domestic standards require radioactivity levels below 100 Bq/kg, a threshold that is ten times stricter than manny international benchmarks.

Corresponding results from the previous year show robust performance: 554 samples across 80 varieties were all below the standard. Additionally, 619 safety tests covering 97 varieties were all compliant with established limits, including heavy-metal assessments.These findings bolster confidence in the current regulatory framework while guiding future enhancements.

The institute also outlined a plan to substantially broaden seafood safety investigations in 2026 and tighten the overall safety management system. The goal is to cultivate a more secure seafood production and supply surroundings for consumers nationwide.

Key elements of the 2026 plan include a marked expansion of inspection items and stricter oversight mechanisms designed to close gaps in oversight and enforcement.In particular, safety checks will intensify on major breeds with high consumption and on those with a prior history of non-compliance.

Another cornerstone is the Positive List System (PLS) for farmed marine products. Under PLS, veterinary drugs without predefined residue limits are managed under a uniform non-detection standard of 0.01 mg/kg. This framework will enhance inspections for substances without established residue standards.

Officials also announced a ample upgrade to testing capabilities. The plan calls for adding high-performance precision analysis equipment for veterinary drugs, expanding the repertoire of test items from 65 to 157, and increasing related instrumentation to enable faster, more accurate analyses.

Key Facts At a Glance

Aspect	Detail
Plan year	2026 Detailed Implementation Plan for Seafood Safety Investigation
Focus areas	High-consumption breeds; breeds with past non-compliance
Inspection items	Expanded from 72 to 166 items
PLS submission	Applied to farmed marine products to strengthen animal-drug inspections
Drug analysis expansion	Items increased from 65 to 157; more high-performance equipment added
Last year’s samples	554 samples across 80 varieties; all below standard
Last year’s safety tests	619 tests across 97 varieties; all compliant

Why This Matters for Consumers

Strengthened seafood safety oversight aligns with global best practices and helps safeguard public health while supporting consumer confidence in local fisheries and aquaculture. The enhanced testing capacity and expanded inspection scope are designed to detect risk factors earlier and ensure safer products reach markets.

For readers seeking broader context, international guidelines on seafood safety and contamination prevention can be found through global health authorities and food safety organizations.

How do you view the current state of seafood safety in your region? Do you trust pre-market testing to protect consumers?

What steps would you like to see next to further boost transparency and safety in fishery products?

Share your thoughts in the comments below or on social media.

How does the Busan Food Safety Cloud (BFSC) contribute to ensuring seafood safety according to the 2026 plan?

produce.### Key components of the 2026 Busan Seafood Safety Plan

• Thorough risk‑based inspection schedule covering all major wholesale markets, fishing ports, and processing facilities.
• Enhanced veterinary‑drug monitoring that targets antibiotics, antiparasitics, and growth promoters in marine products.
• Integration of real‑time data analytics through the Busan Food Safety Cloud (BFSC) to flag non‑compliant batches instantly.
• Mandatory HACCP certification for any operation handling more than 500 kg of seafood per day.

Expanded Inspection Framework

1. Frequency Increase

• Daily on‑site checks at the busan International Fish Market (BIFM).
• Weekly random sampling at smaller ports (Jagalchi, Gijang).
• Scope of Sampling
• Physical inspection (temperature, freshness, labeling).
• Laboratory analysis for microbiological hazards (Vibrio,Listeria) and chemical residues.
• Technology Adoption
• Portable spectrometers for rapid detection of heavy metals.
• Blockchain‑enabled traceability tags that record each inspection point.

Strengthened Veterinary‑Drug Controls

• Zero‑tolerance threshold for prohibited antibiotics such as oxytetracycline and chloramphenicol.
• Maximum residue limits (MRLs) aligned wiht Codex Alimentarius standards for approved drugs (e.g., florfenicol ≤ 50 ppb).
• Veterinary drug registration database now cross‑checked with import/export customs logs, reducing illegal residues by an estimated 27 % in the first six months.

Impact on Local Fisheries and Export Markets

• Compliance boost: 92 % of registered farms achieved full compliance within the first quarter, up from 78 % in 2025.
• Export advantage: The European Union’s Rapid Alert System for food and Feed (RASFF) flagged no Busan‑origin seafood in 2026, a first in the city’s history.
• Economic uplift: Projected revenue growth of ₩1.3 trillion ($1.1 bn) for the city’s seafood sector through higher market confidence.

Benefits for Consumers and Public Health

• Reduced exposure to antibiotic‑resistant bacteria, lowering the risk of treatment‑resistant infections.
• Lower incidence of seafood‑related foodborne illness—preliminary data shows a 15 % drop in reported cases at Busan hospitals since the plan’s rollout.
• Transparent labeling guaranteeing “Veterinary‑drug‑Free” certification, helping shoppers make informed choices.

Practical Tips for Seafood Buyers

• Check the QR code on packaging; it links to the BFSC record of inspections and drug‑testing results.
• Look for the “busan Safe Seafood” seal—issued only after passing the full inspection cycle.
• Ask vendors about the source port and the date of the last laboratory test.

Case Study: Early Adoption by Busan Port Fish Market

• Timeline: Pilot program launched March 2026, full implementation by August 2026.
• Results:

1. 1,200 samples screened; 98 % met the new MRL standards.
2. Average processing time reduced by 12 % thanks to automated spectrometer readings.
3. Vendor satisfaction rose to 87 % as the system cut down paperwork and repeat inspections.

Future Outlook and Compliance Timeline

Deadline	Requirement	Responsible Party
31 Mar 2026	All processing plants >500 kg/day must obtain HACCP certification	Busan Food safety Authority
30 Jun 2026	Quarterly veterinary‑drug residue reporting via BFSC	Fisheries Cooperatives
31 Dec 2026	Full integration of blockchain traceability for exported products	Export Council of Busan

– Long‑term goal: By 2028, achieve “Zero non‑compliant shipment” status for all seafood exported from Busan.

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