Online sales of German mitten crab not authorized

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China consumer quality watchdog announced Thursday that a domestic importer's online pre-sales of German mitten crabs have not been authorized.

Aquatic products including mitten crabs must pass inspection before they enter China's market as they pose high risks, according to the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ).

Dadi Yuansheng E-commerce Co., Ltd. had received over 30,000 pre-orders for mitten crabs through Juhuasuan, a group buying site affiliated to the popular e-commerce platform Taobao.

The importer has not applied for import permit for the crabs, AQSIQ said. Neither has Germany officially requested to export the crabs.

Mitten crabs are regarded as a delicacy in China and are usually in season from September to November.

The package price, 199 yuan (32.25 U.S.dollars) for three male and three female crabs, offered by the Jiangsu-based importer is a far cry from expensive home bred mitten crabs.

Believed to have originated in China, mitten crabs reportedly made their way to German rivers on merchant ships about a century ago, where they have multiplied quickly and are considered a menace to the local ecosystem.

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