Dive Summary:
- A new study suggests that there is rampant and negligent mislabeling of seafood in U.S. supermarkets, most often of imported seafood which makes up 86% of the market.
- Barbara Boxer, a U.S. Senator, raises this issue in a letter to the FDA calling for more stringent inspection of imported seafood and tighter regulations on labeling practices.
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In this letter, Boxer cites a Governmental Accountability Office report from 2009 that shows the FDA only inspects about 2% of all imported seafood and only .01% are check for mislabeling.
From the article:
"The apparent widespread fraud involving seafood labeling practices around ports of entry for imported fish poses a serious health risk for some, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration needs to step up enforcement of this food, says a longtime U.S. Senator. "It is unacceptable that proven fraud is occurring on such a widespread basis," Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-CA, wrote Monday in a letter to FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg. "Seafood fraud is not only deceptive marketing, but it can also pose serious health concerns, particularly for pregnant women seeking to limit exposure to heavy metals ..."
