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Most of us probably saw the story on the news about all the mislabeled fish discovered in stores and restaurants in NYC.
Oceana, the largest international advocacy group working solely to protect the world’s oceans, found 39 percent of seafood to be mislabeled in the New York City-area, according to a new report released today. DNA testing of 142 seafood samples from 81 retail outlets, including grocery stores, restaurants and sushi venues, confirmed that 56 samples were mislabeled according to United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines.
The fact that such a high percentage of products were mislabeled (most of them apparently didn't even contain the correct type of fish), and the fact that the problem is so widespread (among so many businesses), really shakes my confidence in the entire industry. If companies are willing to substitute something as obvious as the species of fish, and palm off less desirable species at premium prices, what does this say about the likelihood that they would have no qualms about misstating any other ingredients in such products? Is this just the tip of the iceberg?
Is it any wonder that we often react to foods that should be safe (according to the label)?
And notice who discovered the problem — not the FDA, that's for sure. They're too busy sitting on their butts in their overstuffed office chairs, in their comfortable offices, fretting about the possibility of upcoming budget cuts. They don't have any time to waste on projects such as trying to protect consumers from fraudulent business practices in the food industry.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Hi, If the consumer does not pay attention to the foods they purchase it makes it esay to mislabel produsts. A common fish mislabeling is whitefish. That is just a generic name for many types of fish cod, haddock, pollock, etc. The price of pollock is cheaper than haddock and that makes a higher profit margin for the pollock. When they remove the skin from the fillet it makes it difficult to tell what type of fish it is. A good fish retailer will leave the skin on and remove it upon request. The mislabeling is the same for lobster meat and because of the difference between the lobster you buy from Maine or a lobster from Florida. Jon
We had a big sting in AL (where we go in the winter) a few years ago. Snapper and grouper were both "misidentified" in a huge number of restaurants.
I ordered walleye here in MN (which we fish and eat a lot of) and got probably cod, definitely not walleye. I have little faith in our food system these days.
Deb
They're too busy sitting on their butts in their overstuffed office chairs, in their comfortable offices, fretting about the possibility of upcoming budget cuts. They don't have any time to waste on projects such as trying to protect consumers from fraudulent business practices in the food industry (quoting Tex)
Protecting consumers??????
We all know that it's plain & simple
We, of all people, need to be like hawks when we purchase any food item!
I do not mind taking the extra time to check those labels!
Dee~~~
"What the heart gives away is never gone ... It is kept in the hearts of others."
This subject makes me think of labels that say "Product of China" or "Product of Thailand". When fish especially contains this wording I hate to buy it because I don't know if it was packaged there or here and I question the safety of eating food that may be packaged in a foreign country and shipped here for distribution.
I don't care for tea but I was cold one night this past week and made a cup of tea. While drinking it I read the label. I read on my Bigelow herbal peach tea in big letters "Caffeine Free" and "Gluten Free" and in small print it says it contains soy lecithin. Why in the world is there soy in an herbal tea bag?
Charlotte
The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine, or the slowest form of poison. Ann Wigmore
Charlotte, I had the same problem with tea. I think soy is often used to make the "natural" flavors.
Tex, the food industry scares me to death! I was so disappointed that prop 37 (GMO labeling) failed in CA (did you hear they are looking at possible fraud with regard to that vote?). I have long been concerned about seafood. I will not eat any farmed fish.....actually, nothing that is not wild-caught. How about the farmed salmon where they feed them orange food coloring to make them look healthier? Yuk! I order all of my canned salmon and tuna from Vital Choice on the west coast - a very expensive way to go, but I feel I must make the healthiest diet possible a priority for me. It's bad enough to lose the genetic lottery and have all of these food sensitivities, but it's an added whammy to have to avoid other supposedly "safe" foods because of fears about how they are marketed/raised/treated/etc. And the more I have to limit my diet, the more I fear that I will develop sensitivites to those few foods I CAN eat. I have said it before, but I truly believe it - it could, at some point, be a matter of life and death for someone like me.
Love,
Polly
Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused.
Polly wrote:(did you hear they are looking at possible fraud with regard to that vote?)
No, I hadn't heard that, but for some reason, I'm not surprised. All the money is on the side of promoting GMO foods, and money always talks louder than anyone or anything else.
Love,
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
I read that article too and have decided that eating out for fish is something that I am going to not do going forward. Polly was right - could be lethal for some of us.
Agree with Tex on the FDA - their butts just get fatter from sitting and not doing.
Love, Maggie
Maggie Scarpone
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Resident Birder - I live to bird and enjoy life!
