Tag Archives: seafood mislabeling
The ‘sustainable’ cod in your shopping basket may be no such thing – new study reveals mislabelling
Cod sold in some European supermarkets is being mislabeled and is actually fished far from its claimed origin, according to our new study. We sampled cod sold in Germany, Spain, France and the UK and found that about 30% of it originated in a different location. Seafood mislabeling, in which one species is sold as another, is a common problem. It may happen by mistake or by deliberate fraud, in which case, there is at least hope for improvement, as various DNA methods are now available for testing species. But our new research highlights another problem: the mislabeling of geographical origin. As with species mislabeling, this issue can affect the sustainable management of fisheries, the conservation of fish in the wild and consumer trust. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:53
Four Lafayette seafood restaurants found potentially noncompliant with Louisiana shrimp labeling laws
A recent study by SeaD Consulting found that four Lafayette-area seafood restaurants are misrepresenting their shrimp menu items to the public. SeaD Consulting partners with the seafood industry and academic and governmental institutions to conduct genetic testing of seafood species, in order to uncover labeling and substitution fraud in restaurants. On Feb. 27, SeaD released the results of their investigation into the Lafayette-area market. After conducting random genetic testing on shrimp dishes from 24 local restaurants, the group found that 33% of the sampled restaurants are serving farm-raised imported shrimp. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:26
Everything is Bigger and Better in Texas, Including Seafood-Consumer Fraud
A recent investigation into seafood labeling practices at restaurants in Galveston and Kemah revealed significant seafood fraud, with troubling implications for consumers, local shrimpers, and the regional economy. Genetic testing conducted by SeaD Consulting has exposed widespread seafood mislabeling in the Galveston and Kemah dining scene, where more than half of the tested restaurants (59%) were found to serve imported shrimp despite claims, implications, or menu descriptions suggesting they were offering Texas wild-caught Gulf shrimp. “The local Gulf shrimp we pull in is now sold for less than $1.00 per pound, when it used to be $3.00 a pound, because of these deceptive practices. A 60% fraud rate is not shocking to me, but I’ll bet diners have no idea how much they are being duped”, said Galveston Commercial Shrimper and Texas Shrimp Diva Nikki Johnson-Kunz. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 14:30
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Shrimp sham: Investigation finds over 80% of “Gulf shrimp” sold on Mississippi Coast is imported
After Mississippi Gulf Coast staple restaurant Mary Mahoney’s Old French House came under fire for fraudulent branding of seafood, a new third-party investigation has found that mislabeling imported seafood is more rule than the exception for the region’s celebrated food scene. SeaD Consulting, a firm that specializes in genetic testing to monitor mislabeling and substitution fraud in the seafood industry, conducted a comprehensive investigation into the potential misrepresentation of shrimp served across coastal Mississippi. “Consumers come to the coast expecting the finest, freshest Gulf seafood, but what they’re being served often falls far short of that,” COO of SeaD Consulting Erin Williams said in a press release. “This isn’t just about mislabeling; it’s about eroding consumer trust, undercutting local business, and threatening the livelihood of hardworking Gulf shrimpers.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:56The Truth Behind the Menu: Study finds widespread mislabeled shrimp in Coast restaurants
Docked shrimp boats, and empty factories. It’s a sight many in the shrimp industry are dealing with because of the imports flooding the market. “It’s really hard to stay in business, and to stay afloat,” says Ocean Springs Seafood Market Inc. Vice President Bethany Fayard. And it doesn’t help that restaurants are still advertising imported shrimp as domestic. “It’s a dying industry. We have let imports basically hurt the fisherman in Mississippi,” says State Representative Brent Anderson. A seafood consulting group known as SeaD was asked by an unnamed organization to look into this issue. The results were not entirely shocking to Fayard and Anderson, who both push for stricter labeling laws in the state. “In Biloxi, we have a situation which we weren’t coming in to test for, but we discovered quite rapidly, and that is the mislabeling of the Royal Red Shrimp,” says SeaD CEO David Williams. Video, more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:52
Study Reveals Salmon Mislabeling in Seattle Sushi Restaurants
Researchers conducted a study on salmon samples from 67 grocery stores and 52 local sushi shops, revealing that 32.3% of sushi restaurant samples contained farmed salmon instead of the wild salmon that vendors claimed. It remains unclear whether this mislabeling occurred at the restaurant level or earlier in the distribution chain. In contrast, no grocery store samples were found to have this issue, although 11.1% of the salmon sold in grocery stores was identified as the incorrect species. Additionally, 38% of the samples from restaurants were substituted with the wrong type of salmon. The financial implications for consumers are significant. When customers believe they are purchasing high-quality wild salmon, they may be willing to pay a higher price, not realizing they are receiving a less valuable product. This not only affects consumer trust but can also undermine the market for legitimate wild-caught salmon fishermen, who depend on consumers recognizing the value of their sustainably sourced fish. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 11:44
