The panga It is an inexpensive fish for the pocket, compared to other species. But the ranching of this variety of White fish He’s been under suspicion for years. For this reason, the distribution chain Carrefour has announced that stop selling panga in its hypermarkets and supermarkets in Spain.
The French food chain had already made this decision before in other European countries such as Belgium and France. It is a “preventive” measure, according to sources from the group, which has appealed to the harmful environmental effects of raising this fish on farms to make this strong decision.
But what is the panga?
The panga is a large freshwater fish: it can measure up to 1.5 meters and weighs about 40 kg. It comes from certain areas of Asia, the Mekong and Chao Phraya rivers and is bred in captivity.
The pangasius hatcheries: Where does it come from?
The pangasius is under suspicion due to its farms in Vietnam, which is the country that produces 90% of the total pangasius consumed in the world.
Its consumption is controversial due to the hygienic and environmental conditions of the farms where it is raised, due to the use of agrochemicals.
Why Carrefour no longer sells panga
Despite the decision made by Carrefour from the Business Association of Marine Crop Producers have clarified that consumers should not be alarmed because the panga sold in the EU is safe.
Spain, the country that consumes the most panga
Spain is the country that imports the most panga. According to 2015 data from the UN, almost all suppliers of this white fish are Asia, with Vietnam as the leading exporter, followed by Indonesia, Thailand, Bangladesh and Burma. The import of pangasius a couple of years ago exceeded 23,000 tons worth 47.5 million euros, according to data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment.
The consumption of panga is in question, although the OCU did not reject its consumption but did reduce its intake.
Why is it not convenient to eat panga
In Spain, based on a study on various fish, the OCU published a study in which he highlighted: “In an analysis of panga fillets, OCU detected a prohibited herbicide, so we advise not taking it more than once a week.” However, he did not advise to stop consuming it, if not reduce your intake and combine it with other species: “Although the polluting residues are within the legally tolerated limits and do not pose an immediate risk to health, it is better not to consume these fish in excess.”
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