104 seafood items tested for Chuseok

No Vibrio bacteria or heavy metals detected

14 tilefish samples verified by DNA testing

A tilefish sample undergoes DNA testing to verify its species. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]
A tilefish sample undergoes DNA testing to verify its species. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]

The Seoul Metropolitan Government's Institute of Public Health and Environment said Monday that safety inspections of 104 seafood items commonly purchased as ritual offerings or gifts for the Chuseok holiday found no abnormalities.

The tested items included fresh seafood popular during Chuseok — such as croaker, meagre and pollock — as well as dried products including dried pollack, dried squid, kelp and dried seaweed, along with tilefish. Of the 104 samples, 90 were collected from traditional markets including Cheongnyangni Agricultural and Marine Products Market and Mapo Agricultural and Marine Products Market, while the remaining 14 came from hypermarkets and online retailers.

The institute tested for major hazards including Vibrio bacteria and heavy metals. Vibrio is a gram-negative bacterium that thrives in saltwater and is commonly found in seawater and coastal areas. It multiplies rapidly during summer as water temperatures rise, and consuming contaminated shellfish or fish — or exposing an open wound to seawater — can cause serious infections such as Vibrio septicemia.

To assess the risk of food poisoning from seafood consumption, the institute tested for three Vibrio strains — Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio cholerae — and none were detected. Heavy metals that can accumulate in seafood from the marine environment, including lead, cadmium and mercury, as well as sulfur dioxide and artificial sweeteners that may be used during manufacturing and processing, all met regulatory standards.

Tilefish — a high-value species popular as a Chuseok gift — also underwent DNA testing to prevent fraudulent substitution with similar species. All 14 samples were confirmed to be genuine tilefish.

The institute said the pre-Chuseok inspections, focused on traditional markets, aim to create a safer retail environment and strengthen public trust in seafood sold at those markets by checking for hazards and fraudulent distribution.

Park Ju-seong, director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Institute of Public Health and Environment, said the institute would continue to strengthen seafood safety management in line with seasonal trends and consumer patterns "so that citizens can choose their food with confidence."


ikson@heraldcorp.com