The Fish Division of the Chamber of Food Industries held an expanded meeting for fish companies eligible for export to European Union countries with representatives of the Central Laboratory for Pesticide Residues and Heavy Metals, headed by Dr. Hani Al-Minshawy, Head of the Fish and Fish Products Division, and in the presence of Dr. Taher Kadah, representative of the Central Laboratory for Pesticide Residues, Dr. Hani Al-Minshawy stressed the great interest that the Chamber of Food Industries pays to the fish export file to the European Union through technical support and solving the challenges facing the industry to improve the quality and raise the competitiveness of national products in order to preserve the reputation of the Egyptian industry through strengthening the cooperation and partnership with various stakeholders and linking them to scientific research regarding some of the challenges facing fish processing companies were reviewed, including the repeated collection of samples in large numbers, the high cost of analysis, the long period of time for analysis, and the withdrawal of large quantities of fish for one sample, which constitutes a burden on companies. The Chamber also called for expanding the base of laboratories accredited for analysis by the National Food Safety Authority and providing companies with the required “chemical and microbiological” analysis for fish extracted from seas, fresh water, fish farming areas, water and ice, in accordance with European Union legislation.

Dr. Taher Qadah, representative of the Central Laboratory for Pesticide Residues, said that the laboratory’s role is limited only to analyzing the sample, and that conformity is the responsibility of the National Food Safety Authority.

Dr. Maysa Hamza, Acting Executive Director and Technical Advisor to the Board of Directors, confirmed that the Chamber of Food Industries, headed by Eng. Ashraf El Gazayerli, spares no effort in resolving any obstacles facing the members as soon as they are presented, as communication and coordination are carried out with government agencies and various concerned bodies as quickly as possible, noting that The Chamber is a strategic partner for many bodies, including the National Food Safety Authority, and is represented on many specialized committees in various bodies.