The Facts on Fish
A story in today’s USA Today focuses on the recent FDA restrictions on seafood from China. If you’ve been paying attention to the news lately, you know that some seafood was carrying carciogens and antibiotics, the kind that could lead to bacteria becoming resistant to them.
The story lays out the facts pretty simply, but one part caught my eye: “The rule does not apply to fish served in restaurants and other dining establishments, so it’s necessary to ask.”
Bascially, you want to know whom your buying from. I called chef Mark Filippo over at the recently opened Morgans Fish House in Rye  to get his take on it. He said, first of all  he doesn’t use any fish from Asia. Second, bascially, you get what you pay for.
“If you find that a fish is so inexpensive, that’s the reason why,” he said. “It’s not coming from a source that’s quality.”
So be sure to ask before you order. What do you think about the situation?
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Any info on shrimp from Thailand or India? Shoprite always has shrimp on special, it’s always from Thailand or India. I haven’t heard anything about it, but I don’t feel comfortable buying it in the future having heard these recent stories about China.
I don’t know, Michelle. Let me look into it and get back to you.
The FDA has only expressed plans to implement more stringent inspections of food imports including fish from China. After viewing the hearings on Capitol Hill just recently, the conclusion made was that there are not enough U.S. food inspectors and that only 1% of our imported food supply is presently inspected at all.
The budget and resources for inspectors is highly lacking. Therefore, until Congress allocates funds and executes a plan for implementation, don’t count on anything changing in the near future.
Government works at a snail’s pace and usually only after a catastrophe such as learning of the contaminated pet food supply.