Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Majority of Restaurant Fish Species Mislabeled

As more and more scrutiny is placed on what kinds of fish restaurants are serving their patrons, evidence is increasingly pointing to deception in the supply chain. That red snapper or grouper from your favorite restaurant may in fact just be an Asian catfish with a big price tag. A UNC Chapel Hill research project tested red snapper samples from restaurants and distributors in eight states in 2004, results from DNA tests showed that more than 75 percent of the samples were not red snapper. While this problem is far more likely away from coastal communities, even Florida isn't without its share. DNA testing by the Florida Attorney General's Office in late last year showed 17 out of 24 samples of fish sold as grouper in Tampa restaurants were species like Asian catfish, emperor fish, or sweetlips. Species substitution is considered fraud under the federal Food Drug and Cosmetics Act, and given the growing concern, expect to hear more about restaurants and distributors mislabeling fish species soon. More on the fish labeling controversy is available from the Outer Banks Sentinel.

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