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November 27, 2011

Fish Tales: Is the fish you buy really what it’s labeled?

Did you read the fake fish story? An article in Consumer Reports (December 2011) discusses the purchasing and testing of 190 pieces of seafood from retail stores and restaurants throughout New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

Don’t miss this: more than one-fifth of the fish pieces were mislabeled as different species of fish, incompletely labeled or misidentified by employees. Has this ever happened to you?

Consumer Reports sent their fish samples to an outside lab for DNA testing. We’re talking fish forensics! Researchers take genetic material from the fish and compare it against standardized gene fragments similar to genetic fingerprints used in crime investigations.

Guess what they found out?

  1. Only four of the 14 fish types were identified correctly (sea bass, coho salmon, bluefin and ahi tuna).
  2. 18% of the fish samples didn’t match the names on menus, labels or placards. Fish were passed off for grouper, catfish, red snapper, yellow fin tuna and others.
  3. From a health standpoint, one fish sample labeled as grouper was really tilefish, which is on the Food and Drug Administration avoid list for children and women of childbearing age due to the mercury content.

Why does this matter to you? If you bought an expensive piece of fish and it was actually a cheaper species, your wallet was impacted. But what if you bought fish containing potentially health-harming mercury or PCBs? Then your health comes into play. Or, maybe you try to buy sustainable seafood and were given a species whose numbers are on the decline.

Besides better inspections, what can you do to reduce the chances that you pay for mystery fish?

1.  Be an informed consumer. The more questions you ask at the fish counter or the server at your restaurant, the more serious companies become in their purchases and inspections. Restaurants and grocers know that consumers today have quick access to helpful information.

2.  Check out the free FishPhone app from Blue Ocean Institute, a quick guide to help you make sustainable selections when you eat out or shop. I use this app and it’s so easy. Next to all the choices is a fish symbol varying in color from bright green for a safe choice to red for don’t even think about it. You can search for fish or check the A-Z listing. When you touch the fish name, a quick review pops up so that you can make a smart choice right then. The app even includes fish recipes and wine pairing suggestions.

3.  Send a text while you stand in front of the fish counter and make sure the fish you plan to purchase is eco-friendly and without a health advisory. This very cool text tip is also from blueocean.org.

Text 30644 with the message FISH followed by the name of the fish you want to buy…for example, FISH scallops or FISH salmon. I sent a text for FISH grouper and received a text within seconds telling me all things grouper that I needed to know.

How do you know where your fish is coming from?

The Country of Origin Labeling called COOL, which was developed by the USDA, requires all large retailers (supermarkets and big box stores) to disclose the country of origin of fresh or frozen fish and whether it is farm-raised or wild-caught. Seafood standards are often higher in the United States than in other countries so when you purchase ‘locally’, you may reduce the likelihood of contamination from toxic substances that are illegal in the U.S.

Exemptions of COOL: The law does not require restaurants or small fish markets to disclose the country of origin on the label.

Want more? Listen to this week’s podcast below.

Listen to this week’s podcast


March 9, 2011

Fast-Food That Won’t Fill You Out

Do you have days when your life is spinning like you’re on a tilt-a-whirl ride? You have way too much to do and not near enough time to do it in. You’re starving, need to feed your family and fast-food is looking better and better. But how do you make smart choices?

Joining me this week on the podcast to talk about smart fast-food selections from their April 1sgt issue is tilt-a-whirl rider Margit Ragland, Health Director at Family Circle magazine. You can now find our monthly podcast with Family Circle on their website at familycircle.com keyword ‘podcast’.

1. If you want to watch your portion size, check out the children’s menu—you’ll get the smallest size possible, plus healthier sides like apple slices.

2. Hold the mayo to eliminate more than 100 calories or order it on the side. Otherwise, it’s usually slathered on your sandwich.

3. Give the boot to those packages of crispy noodles and croutons that come with salads. They add calories and fat and that’s about it.

4. Use half the packet of salad dressing. Just because you receive that portion size doesn’t mean you must use it all.

5. Make sure you order chicken grilled—not “crispy” which means fried—on sandwiches and salads.

6. Opt for leaner breakfast meats like ham or Canadian bacon instead of sausage and bacon.

7. Request your burger prepared without added salt. At McDonald’s you can order one minus the “grill seasoning,” a mix of salt and pepper.

We now have calorie labeling in fast-food restaurants. But is it working? What do you think? According to a small study recently published in the International Journal of Obesity, calorie labeling is not working so well. Researchers surveyed low-income communities in New York City and Newark, NJ, both before and after mandatory labeling begin in New York City.

In this population they found no statistically significant difference in calories purchased before or after labeling was introduced.  Many of the adolescents reported that they noticed the calorie labels but few considered the information when they ordered their food.

Other studies have found some reduction in the total calories of the items ordered. I do think there is a percentage of the population who wants this data and finds it helpful. But whether you have access to the calories or not, knowing how to make wise choices is key.

Check out this month’s recipe for Scallop-Quinoa Paella

Want more? Listen to this week’s podcast below.

Listen to this week’s podcast


April 28, 2010

Fishing for Answers: A Quick A-Z Guide to a Fish Purchase and Prep

may-fiYou’ve asked me questions such as how do I know where my fish is from and is it farmed or wild-caught?

Here’s your quick A-Z guide to purchase fish.

Sources for fish information fast:

    • Monterey Bay Aquarium in California has a Seafood Watch Program. Check out their Seafood Guide App that you can download to your iphone or ipad to help you make sustainable seafood choices quickly and easily, whether you’re eating out or shopping at your local supermarket. The app features regional guides so you can see what seafood is best in each area of the country and a sushi guide.
    • You can send a text while you stand in front of the fish counter and make sure the fish you plan to purchase is eco-friendly and without a health advisory. This very cool tech tip is courtesy of blueocean.org.

Send a text to 30644 with the message FISH followed by the name of the fish you want to buy…for example, FISH SCALLOPS or FISH SALMON. I sent a text for FISH SALMON and received two texts within a few seconds.. The Blue Ocean Institute tracks 90+ fish species and regularly updates their database.

    • Other good sources for information on seafood choices that protect marine life and/or the environment and support well-managed fisheries are seafoodwatch.org and nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch, part of the government’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

How do you know where your fish is coming from?

The Country of Origin Labeling called COOL, which was developed by the USDA, requires all large retailers (supermarkets) to disclose the country of origin of fresh or frozen fish and whether it is farm-raised or wild-caught.

What about sustainable seafood?

The Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) certification program and seafood ecolabel recognizes and rewards sustainable fishing. They are a global organization working with fisheries, seafood companies, scientists, conservation groups and the public to promote the best environmental choice in seafood. Look for their label on fish products.

Do farmed fish provide the same health benefits as wild?

There’s a lot of controversy about farmed-fish versus wild-fish in regards to nutrition content, environmental safety and toxins. Farmed fish can be a healthy and delicious alternative to more expensive wild-caught fish but, there is potential for higher amounts of toxins and poor nutrition content. The key is ‘farmed responsibly’ resulting in fish that is an affordable and perfectly recommendable source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids.

Listen to this week’s podcast


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