Pre Harvest Test
Pre-Harvest Testing (PHT) of aquaculture products
Pre-Harvest Testing of aquaculture products is mandatory for export to EU countries. MPEDA has set up 12 (twelve) ELISA screening laboratories at various centers (as shown below) to conduct the pre-harvest testing/screening of the aquaculture produce (shrimp) for the presence of residues of banned antibiotics like Chloramphenicol & Nitrofuran Metabolites (AOZ. AMOZ, AHD & SEM) before harvest. These ELISA screening laboratories are equipped with fully automated ELISA Analyser and other ancillary equipment.
- Pre-harvest Testing (PHT) was introduced from April 2009 to ensure the absence of banned anti-biotic residues like Nitrofuran metabolites and Chloramphenicol in Aquaculture products used as raw material meant for export.
- Vide Govt. of India Notification no. S.O. 2714(E) dated 28.10.2009 followed by EIC Instructions no. EIC/D(QC)T-1/2009 dated 13.11.2009 the pre-harvest test was made mandatory for export of all aquaculture products, i.e. irrespective of the country to which the material was being exported. Subsequently from June-2014, pre-harvest testing was restricted to raw material meant for export to EU countries only.
- MPEDA has 12 ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay) Labs
- MPEDA issues Unique ID to aqua farms after physical verification with GPS.
- The farm ID’s are the most effective tool for Traceability of the aquaculture produce meant for export.
- Farm Id /Ack No. is a must to place request for PHT.
- Sample collectors use GPS instruments to properly locate the farm.
- SMS based alerts to sample collectors, farmers
Location of the ELISA Laboratories :
| State | No: of ELISA Laboratories | Locations |
|---|---|---|
| West Bengal | 1 | Kolkata |
| Odisha | 2 | Balasore & Bhubaneswar |
| Andhra Pradesh | 6 | Nellore, Ongole, Machilipattinam, Bhimavaram, Amalapuram & Kakinada |
| Tamil Nadu | 1 | Nagapattinam |
| Kerala | 1 | Kochi |
| Gujarat | 1 | Valsad |
Under the PHT programme, the sample tested ELISA negative (screened negative) is certified as compliant, ie; the sample does not contain the residue of the tested antibiotics. When the sample is tested ELISA positive (screened positive), it is tested using LC MSMS equipment for confirmation. Only those confirmed positives by LC MSMS technique is certified as non-compliant.
Pre-Harvest Testing :
