Seafood Fraud: Part 2

by Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

(Page 2 of 2)

Water Added

Sodium tripolyphosphate (STP) is one of a family of phosphates the seafood industry may use as humectants, substances that maintain moisture in products. STP is used to process scallops, shrimp and lobster tails.

The phosphates are currently listed by FDA as "generally recognized as safe," a classification that means a food additive may be used for certain purposes. However, FDA is concerned that the seafood industry is using STP in ways that constitute economic abuse, especially in scallops. Atlantic sea scallops, for example, usually consist of 75 to 79 percent water. They can lose a considerable amount of their moisture after the shellfish are harvested and the meat is removed from the shell.

Soaking in an STP-water solution keeps scallops from losing their natural water. Prolonged soaking, however, can result in Atlantic sea scallops with excessive water, adding to the product's total weight. Inspections of processing plants by FDA's Boston and Baltimore districts showed that some scallop processors were soaking the shellfish for up to 36 hours, resulting in a 4 to 5 percent weight gain.

Consumers could be defrauded into buying water-augmented scallops at the same price per pound as scallops that are naturally larger. FDA met with industry representatives to discuss the use of STP. The industry agreed to determine the effects of various treatment times and STP concentrations on scallops, and to determine whether STP soaking provides benefits beyond restoring water loss, such as improving the texture of the scallops.

Excessive water has also been found in shelled oyster containers. FDA is concerned that this practice adulterates the product because the water is absorbed by the oysters, increasing their apparent weight. The agency is currently revising the regulation that defines the number of oysters and amount of liquid.

FDA does not object to the industry practice of using a frozen glaze of water to protect products such as frozen shrimp and lobster tails from freezer burn. Such glaze, however, cannot be pan of the net weight. FDA has sent warning letters to processors and trade associations saying that the agency will take regulatory action where evidence of this practice is found.

Overbreading and Fresh Thawed

It's disappointing to open a frozen seafood package and find more breading than fish. In 1991, the Connecticut state government surveyed breaded frozen shrimp products and found an average of 33.5 percent shrimp — the rest was bread crumbs. The FDA standard for breaded shrimp requires that the product contain at least 50 percent shrimp. The method for breading is included in the standard.

FDA is taking enforcement action against processors who overbread. For example, in March 1991 in Mississippi, FDA seized 1,788 pounds of frozen breaded shrimp, valued at $5,000 ($2.80 per pound), which contained only 41.4 percent shrimp. With an 8.2 percent shortage of shrimp, FDA estimated the firm could have realized a profit excess of $300 at the consumers' expense.

Sometimes, fish in the market is labeled "previously frozen." FDA allows the sale of thawed fish that has previously been frozen, but it must be labeled as such and cannot be labeled fresh. Fish spoils more easily than most flesh foods, and even in ideal storage conditions, it has a very short shelf life in its fresh condition. Therefore, to protect the product, many processors freeze fish as soon as possible, often at sea. This can be an excellent product. However, if a fish has previously been frozen and is then thawed for sale, the label must state that the product was previously frozen.

Is It Really Caviar?

Unless it's roe (fish eggs) from the sturgeon species, it's not caviar, FDA says in a policy established many years ago. Sturgeon roe sells for about $35 an ounce; roe from other species such as salmon or lumpfish sells for $1 an ounce. Two years ago, FDA issued a warning letter to a firm that had labeled whitefish roe as "American Golden Caviar."

FDA is working to protect consumers from fraudulent practices in the seafood industry. The agency gives talks to industry groups, displays at trade shows, and has open exchanges with state regulatory agencies, as well as increased training for its own field investigators. And a hot line is available to answer consumer questions. But FDA emphasizes that the best defense against fraud is the educated consumer.

How to Avoid Seafood Economic Fraud

To get the best value for your money when buying seafood, it's important to know what you're buying. Be wary of unusual bargains — some seafood is seasonal. If there is a considerable difference between the price of a fresh product and what you are accustomed to paying, it could be that it is from the last season's frozen inventory. Buy from a reputable dealer. And if the fish you choose looks or smells different from what you expect, discuss it with the fish market manager.

Look for firm, shiny flesh that bounces back when touched. If the head is on, the eyes should be clear and bulge, and the gills should be bright red. The fish should not smell "fishy" — it should smell like a fresh ocean breeze.

It's easy to miss the telltale signs of species substitution. Sometimes, taste or consistency is the only way to detect it. If you feel you have purchased something different from what was represented, tell your fish market manager.

Here's how to distinguish some common species:

• Haddock has a dark lateral line along the skin surface.
• Skinless cod fillets have a distinctive white papery membrane along the belly and a white line of fat along the lateral line of the fillet.
• Shark and swordfish look alike, but shark has a dark streak of flesh in the center and rough skin along the edge.
• Red snapper comes only from the southern Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico (ask your retailer where the snapper originated).
• Orange roughy comes only from Australia or New Zealand and always arrives frozen. It may be sold thawed, but it must be labeled as previously frozen.
• Scrod is not a type of fish. The term originated in the Boston area to describe the catch of the day. It is a fish under two and a half pounds that is either cod, haddock or pollock. Such fish should be labeled in the market or listed in a restaurant as "scrod cod," "scrod haddock," or "scrod pollock."

About the Author

www.fda.gov
FDA is A United States government body that oversees medical devices, including contact lenses, intraocular lenses, excimer lasers and eyedrops. In the US, these products must be approved by the FDA before they can be marketed.