By Lisa Collier Cool
Oct 24, 2012 - Yahoo! Health
While seafood is usually touted as a health food high in omega-3
fatty acids helping boost brain and heart health, recent scathing
reports paint a less desirable picture of America’s fish tainted
with waste, chemicals, and antibiotics. Supermarket cases and
restaurants make our seafood look presentable, but is it really
safe to eat?
A recent Bloomberg Businessweek story reports
unsanitary conditions for many Asian seafood exporters, along with
government lagging in its ability to clean it up.
The 13 Worst U.S. Foodborne Illness Outbreaks
About 86 percent of our seafood is imported, and half of that is
from aquaculture—fish farms. Most aquaculture imports are shrimp,
tilapia, Atlantic salmon, and shellfish, according to the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
In Vietnam, shrimp is stored in dirty plastic tubs, covered in
ice made from tap water that could be contaminated with bacteria.
Vietnam ships more than 100 million pounds of shrimp to the United
States each year or about 8 percent of all the shrimp we eat.
In China, many fish farms reportedly use pig
manure as feed, which contains salmonella
and makes tilapia more susceptible to disease.
In addition, “shrimp farms in South and Southeast Asia are
essentially factory farms, with all that implies—including
antibiotic overuse,” according to a Wired piece published
earlier this year. Many of the antibiotics in these fish farms are
banned for use in the U.S.
The 10 Worst Disease Outbreaks in U.S. History
While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible
for ensuring the safety of our seafood, they may not be bringing
their A-game to the task: Bloomberg reports that only 2.7 percent
of all seafood imports are inspected by the FDA.
In 2008, FDA Deputy Director of Food Safety, Don Kraemer
testified before Congress, summarizing the issue:
As the aquaculture industry continues to grow, concern about
the use of unapproved drugs and unsafe chemicals in aquaculture
operations has increased significantly. There is clear scientific
evidence that the use of unapproved antibiotics and other drugs and
chemicals, such as malachite green, nitrofurans, fluoroquinolones,
and gentian violet, can result in the presence of residues in the
edible portions of aquacultured seafood.
Even after this testimony, a 2011 GOA report found that the FDA
tested about 0.1 percent of all imported seafood products for drug
residues. To put this in perspective: out of 2.5 million metric
tons of imported shrimp, the FDA tested only 34 samples for
nitrofurans. Even worse: six of these samples came back
positive.
The FDA also inspects processing facilities overseas, but that
program too seems halfhearted at best. Only 1.5 percent of seafood
facilities had been inspected, according to the GOA report.
Here’s a closer look at what it means for seafood-lovers.
A recent study by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
said a quarter of the food-borne illness outbreaks from imported
food involved seafood. That’s significantly more than the next food
type on the list.
That doesn’t mean you should avoid seafood altogether. There are
some steps you can take now to continue to enjoy safe, healthy fish
and shrimp. Here are some tips:
Check out these organizations:
The INCOFISH Project has a summary of international seafood
guides and a searchable database to look up seafood by name,
country or continent.
The Seafood Choices Alliance works with conservation groups
worldwide and offers seafood recommendation guides, aquaculture and
fisheries resources and links to conservation organizations working
on seafood and other issues.
The National Resources Defense Council offers a Sustainable
Seafood Guide with tips for making smarter seafood
choices.
Fishwise is a sustainable seafood consultancy that promotes the
health and recovery of ocean ecosystems by providing resources for
consumers and industry leaders.