Environmental Working Group has released a “Good Seafood Guide” that helps consumers consume fish and shellfish that are high in Omega-3 fatty acids, low in mercury, and harvested from sustainable sources. The agency offers a calculator, a guide to seafood, and an FAQ on how much seafood people should eat. The calculator lets you input … Read more
Consumer Reports has published a special report about eating fish and mercury exposure. They say that to limit your risk, choose the right fish. And they advise pregnant women to avoid eating tuna altogether. They also recommend that anyone who eats 24 ounces or more of fish per week should avoid species high in mercury. … Read more
The Center for Food Safety is offering tips on the best and safest seafood to eat this summer. Most seafood sold in the U.S. is imported, and less than 2% of those products are inspected for contamination. Moreover, those fish are often caught in places where environmental and health standards are weak or non-existent. By … Read more
The FDA is amending food additive regulations to allow the “safe use of ionizing radiation on crustaceans” to control foodborne pathogens and extend shelf life. The petition to allow this method of controlling pathogens was submitted by the National Fisheries Institute. The government agency says the decision is based on potential toxicity, the effect of … Read more
The California Department of Public Health is warning consumers not to eat commercially or recreationally caught anchovies or sardines or the internal organs of crab from Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. Dangerous levels of domoic acid have been found in some of these species and could be found in other species. Domoic acid is produced … Read more
Earthjustice, along with Center for Science in the Public Interest and the Mercury Policy Project, are suing the FDA for “failing to respond to a July 2011 petition in which the groups asked the FDA to give consumers clear, accurate, and accessible information about toxic mercury in the seafood they eat.” At this time, the … Read more
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene is reporting that people are getting skin infections from handling live or raw fish or seafood at certain markets in Chinatown. The rare infections are caused by the Mycobacterium marinum. The bacteria enters the skin through a cut or scrape, or if someone cuts themselves … Read more
October is National Seafood Month. Fish and seafood are a healthy part of a balanced diet and, as with all foods, proper handling and preparation are key to reducing the risk of food poisoning. Here are some tips from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Buying Fresh Fish Does something smell fishy? Don’t buy it. … Read more
New research published at Nofima, the food research institute in Norway, has found that Listeria can be eliminated on fish by treating the surface with 100 degrees C (212 degrees F) steam for a few seconds. Listeria is a problem in the seafood industry, especially smoked fish and fish pates that are eaten without reheating. … Read more
GoldCoast Salads from Naples Florida is recalling more products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The recall states “because of the potential for food borne illness, we urge consumers who have purchased the suspect products not to eat them, but to return them to the point of purchase.” The recalled products are: Blue Crab … Read more