In
its February issue, Consumers Reports devoted a major investigative report
to fish (America’s Fish-Fair or Foul) and uncovered some unsavory
practices. They checked for
freshness, bacteria and potentially harmful chemicals and
whether or not labeling was correct.
Their findings suggest fish could benefit from the same oversight that
other products face. Partial
decomposition occurred often enough to make one pause – high bacteria levels
in a number of purchases, high
antihistamine levels in tuna (a decomposition product that can cause distress)
and, in some swordfish, significant levels of
methylmercury,
a compound that affects the nervous system.
They had purchased what was labeled red snapper in a number of stores and
found it a different fish entirely. (
This writer has noted that “flounder” you buy at the counter is not always
the species you presume it to be
and is invariably disappointing. Steve
Winters of the
National
Marine Fisheries Service is quoted as saying that cod, flounder, perch
and Pollack are commonly mislabeled). Red snapper led the pack; of eleven
samples purchased, only five were really red snapper. The article gives some useful guidelines for detecting
trouble as well as hints on how to keep fish fresh (In a word, keep it cool).
They also call for more stringent regulations by the
FDA.
01/08/04 15:10