Tag: seafood
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One-Third of Seafood Allegedly Mislabeled, New Report Claims
According to a recent study conducted by the nonprofit ocean conservation group Oceana, as much as one-third of seafood sold in restaurants and grocery store is mislabeled. From 2010 to 2012, Oceana evidently collected more than 1,200 seafood samples from 674 retail outlets in 21 states to determine if they were correctly labeled. After conducting…
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Senator Urges FDA to Improve Seafood Fraud Enforcement
U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) has urged the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take action to address seafood fraud. In her October 15, 2012, letter, Boxer defines seafood fraud as “the mislabeling of one species of fish for another fish that is often cheaper and more readily available.” Boxer cites studies purportedly showing that the…
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Court Asked to Order FDA to Act on Petition to Reduce Mercury Levels in Seafood
Turtle Island Restoration Network and the Center for Biological Diversity have filed a complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief in a federal court in California against the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to force the agency to act on their June 2011 petition seeking to reduce the allowable level of mercury in seafood. Turtle Island…
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Sustainable Seafood Labeling Comes Under Fire in New Study
A study published in Marine Policy has claimed that many fish stocks certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Friends of the Sea (FOS) are nevertheless overfished or subject to overfishing as defined by the international standards accepted by both certifying organizations. Rainer Froese and Alexander Proelss, “Evaluation and legal assessment of…
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Employee Claims She Lost Job by Reporting Illegal Seafood Co. Practices
A New Jersey resident from Scotland, who began working in 2000 for seafood company North Landing Ltd. at the invitation of its former owner, has filed a wrongful discharge suit against the company, its new owners and a supervisor claiming that her concerns over the company’s purportedly illegal practices, when brought to the attention of…
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Class Action Filed Against Seafood Producer Challenging “Omega-3” Claims
California resident Tricia Ogden has filed a putative class action in federal court against Bumble Bee Foods, LLC, alleging that it misbrands its seafood products by claiming they “are an excellent and affordable source of protein, nutrients and Omega 3 fatty acids” and “Rich in Natural Omega-3.” Ogden v. Bumble Bee Foods, LLC, No. 12-01828 (N.D.…
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FDA Reiterates That Gulf Seafood Safe Is Safe
A U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) official has declared seafood from the Gulf of Mexico safe for human consumption after 2010’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill. In December 2011, eight U.S. Senators urged the agency to “publicly and vigorously” defend the safety of Gulf seafood. In a January 11, 2012, FDA blog post, Deputy Commissioner…
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Pew Report Questions Seafood Eco-Labels
A recent report funded by the Pew Environment Group has suggested that many seafood products bearing eco-labels are “not much better than conventional farmed seafood options when it comes to protecting the ocean environment.” Titled “How Green is Your Eco-label? A Comparison of the Environmental Benefits of Marine Aquaculture Standards,” the study evidently relied on…