The outbreak of ugly spottings, or gaviota, which are threatening prawn exports may be traced to lack of Vitamin C, in addition to irritation from the seaweeds that the prawns eat, as well as other stress factors caused by accumulated dirt in the ponds and changes in water temperature, prawn growers told the Globe. Already, some shipments of spotted prawns had been rejected in Japan although exporters maintained that the rejects accounted for less than one percent of the exports.

Abadilla, E. (1992, March 28). Prawn export deformities traced to lack of Vitamin C. Philippine Daily Globe, p. 9.