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Briefs

Alert for importers of seafood and rice – high levels of arsenic reported in Mekong River

Alert for importers of seafood and rice – high levels of arsenic reported in Mekong River

2 October 2025

Background 

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foresty (DAFF) has alerted the AFGC to reports of high levels of arsenic being found in parts of the Mekong River in Myanmar, near the borders with Thailand and Laos (see ​here​ and ​here​). This has the potential to impact seafood caught in the river, as well as crops such as rice that rely on river water for irrigation.  

DAFF’s import data indicates that Australia imports seafood (including catfish) from Myanmar and Thailand as well as rice from all three countries. 

While there is no current evidence that Australia has imported contaminated freshwater seafood, rice or other commodities, DAFF is contacting authorities in these countries to stay informed and will continue to provide updates if new information becomes available.  

Existing measures at the border 

  • DAFF is responsible for administering the Imported Food Control Act 1992. Under this Act, there are offences for importers who import food that is unsafe or non-compliant with Australia’s food standards.  
  • To verify compliance, DAFF operates a risk-based border ​inspection scheme​ (IFIS). 
  • In the Food Standard Code, an inorganic arsenic limit of 2 mg/kg applies to fish and crustacea, and for rice the limit for total arsenic is 1 mg/kg. 
  • To verify compliance with these limits, cereal grains, flours and processed cereals, including rice, are referred for inspection and testing at the rate of 5% of consignments. Tests applied are for arsenic (total) and lead. More information is available from the IFIS ​webpage​.   
  • Under the IFIS, seafood is not currently routinely tested for levels of arsenic. 

Member action 

Importers of, or products containing, freshwater seafood or rice from Myanmar, Thailand and Laos are encouraged to undertake due diligence and seek assurances from suppliers on the safety of the products if necessary. 

Contact

Please contact me for further information.

Dr Duncan Craig
Director – Nutrition and Regulation

​duncan.craig@afgc.org.au​​