Asian Seafood Raised On Pig Feces Approved For U.S. Consumers

[DeSwiss]

Bloomberg Markets Magazine
By Nguyen Dieu Tu Uyen and William Bi
Oct 10, 2012 11:00 PM CT



At Ngoc Sinh Seafoods Trading & Processing Export Enterprise, a seafood exporter on Vietnam’s southern coast, workers stand on a dirty floor sorting shrimp one hot September day. There’s trash on the floor, and flies crawl over baskets of processed shrimp stacked in an unchilled room in Ca Mau.

Elsewhere in Ca Mau, Nguyen Van Hoang packs shrimp headed for the U.S. in dirty plastic tubs. He covers them in ice made with tap water that the Vietnamese Health Ministry says should be boiled before drinking because of the risk of contamination with bacteria. Vietnam ships 100 million pounds of shrimp a year to the U.S. That’s almost 8 percent of the shrimp Americans eat.

*snip*

At Chen Qiang’s tilapia farm in Yangjiang city in China’s Guangdong province, which borders Hong Kong, Chen feeds fish partly with feces from hundreds of pigs and geese. That practice is dangerous for American consumers, says Michael Doyle, director of the University of Georgia’s Center for Food Safety.

“The manure the Chinese use to feed fish is frequently contaminated with microbes like salmonella,” says Doyle, who has studied foodborne diseases in China.

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[robinlynne]

1. ooh.

[Whovian]

2. Holy hell!

Time to start reading labels more carefully.

[JeffHead]

3. How you like sushi now?

[KansDem]

53. You mean "sushit?"

[AsahinaKimi]

66. This is from Vietnam not Japan and Sushi, Sashimi is Japanese, not Vietnamese.

Yes, ebi (shirmp) is on the menu, but its not the only thing. I trust Japanese chefs to have the best and freshest fish for their restaurants. Why do you think Japanese food is more expensive than any other Asian food? I have lived in San Francisco all my life, and grew up eating Sushi in Japantown and around the city and never once, have gotten sick.

[no_hypocrisy]

4. Time to go Kosher

[silverweb]

5. What could possibly go wrong?

[Zalatix]

44. Where are the free traders screaming "xenophobia" now???

[Populist_Prole]

45. Yeah really

[Zalatix]

46. It seems that protesting globalism is okay as long as it isn't Americans doing it.

[WinkyDink]

6. THAT will put one off one's feed.

[AllyCat]

7. Getting ever happier to be a vegetarian

[Care Acutely]

9. Hell yes.

[undeterred]

11. indeed

[Doremus]

25. Amen to that. n/t

[Major Nikon]

35. Jebus knows there's no vegetables contaminated with pig shit

[AllyCat]

49. sigh...gosh then I guess I should just start eating unhealthy food

There is just no point in fighting it.

[Major Nikon]

61. Eat whatever you want

But trying to suggest that it's a good idea to abstain from meat simply because there are inevitably instances of potential pathogen contamination makes about as much sense as suggesting it's a good idea to abstain from fruits and vegetables every time there's an instance of potential pathogen contamination. It makes even less sense really because most of the large scale instances of actual pathogen contamination in the past 20 years have been with non-meat food items. If you want to point to instances where animals are fed animal feces in other countries, I can point to more instances in other countries where vegetables are fertilized with human sewage, then routinely imported into the US. I suppose if I wanted to provide my own ridiculous passive aggressive response, I could always say there's no point in eating much of anything.

[AllyCat]

63. There is always stone soup according to my kids

All I said was that I am happy that I am a vegetarian. No comment on anything having to do with those who do eat meat, fish, or whatever. I did not suggest it was a good idea. Just expressing that I am glad I don't eat that stuff. If most of us knew where our food came from, we would be in an uproar.

[Major Nikon]

64. There's nothing wrong with being a vegetarian

...and there's plenty of sound reasons for being one. I just don't see food scares involving meat as being one of them. There's all sorts of stories about where food comes from or what processes go into it that would probably freak people out if they knew about it. I think the biggest concern out of this is the potential for pathogens, but if millions of people are already eating it and not getting sick, I'm not so sure it's all that big of a deal. Shrimp are bottom feeding scavengers and routinely eat shit or whatever forms of nutrition they can find. I just don't see it as all that worse if they get it on a farm vs the ocean and perhaps less so if they are purged prior to collection which they probably are if I were to guess.

[Ilsa]

8. I'm so glad I've given up most seafood.

And I love the stuff. I just don't trust it anymore, worrying about radiation from Japan, or petro-sludge from the Gulf, now farmed seafood.

[jsmirman]

10. Someone debunk this please - lol - sort of

About once every month I eat shrimp as my one break from my vegetarianism, because honestly, I don't think shrimp have much of anything going on upstairs.

Sounds like I have to give that up, too, though?

This is so insanely disgusting and horrifying.

How does the American public not give a fuck about what's being done to their food???

[undeterred]

13. Shrimp are so dumb they eat shit?

[laundry_queen]

16. Lots do care

but don't have the means to vote with their money. Where I live, just to eat organic would double or triple my grocery budget. Here in Canada the public has pushed for labeling and the government (subsidized by Monsanto et al) refuses, despite something like 95% of the public wanting labeling. I think the percentage that wants labeling is similar in the US. This is a problem with the government ignoring the will of the people and taking bribes from industry. If strict labeling was made mandatory, no one would buy shrimp that eat shit, or GMO corn or dog food with ingredients from China, and they know it.

[ginnyinWI]

28. eat cleaner food: go vegan

By far the most contaminated foods you can eat are from animals: meat, dairy, fish. And they are also the most expensive.

I figure by cutting out all the antibiotics, radioactive isotopes, heavy metals and other chemical contaminants found in meat and dairy, it isn't such a big deal if I buy non-organic produce. Most of it washes off or comes off in the peels anyway. Except I always buy organic strawberries, celery and soy milk. The first two are on the top of their respective dirty dozen lists, and soy milk can be GMO if not organic.

[laundry_queen]

38. I get that

I've tried vegan but it doesn't work for me at all as much as I wanted it to (I have grass & grain allergies plus glucose intolerance/hypoglycemia issues). I do mindfully shop - I buy organic strawberries whenever possible (since they are one of the worst offenders) and same with soy and celery (with celery, I just prefer the sweeter organic taste) and I get organic apples from my parent's tree every fall, and I get free-range, anti-biotic free eggs from some lady at my mom's work - as long as the hens are laying - and my mom buys me some produce from the farmer's market so I try. My major issue is cost, since I have 4 kids (I'm a single parent) and I'm in school full-time (no job). Time factors in as well. I just wish they'd label everything so that people who don't have time to research could make snap decisions, and drive the whole industry into more organic/non-GMO foods, which would be better for everyone.

[ginnyinWI]

48. Beans, lentils, split peas, black eyed peas, chickpeas, etc.

If you can substitute beans for meat more often, you will save money and get a great nutritional boost. Beans have it all: protein, calcium, fiber, etc. They fill you up and are cheap! People who are afraid that they cause gas just need to wait two or three weeks and they often find that their bodies adjust.

edited to add: the dry version of these is much cheaper and you don't have to worry about what they put in the cans.

Easy way to have them always on hand: soak 8 hours while you are at work, then drain, rinse and add fresh water. Simmer on the stove for an hour or until they are done. Refrigerate or freeze in 2-4 cup amounts, easy to pull out and add to a dish.

[laundry_queen]

60. I especially like the re'fried' beans recipe

in my vegan cookbook. Love chickpea curry as well. And dahl. Yum. No matter how hard I try I can't get the kids to eat them though. I've even tried the "my kids wouldn't eat beans until this recipe!" recipes. No go.

[Live and Learn]

32. Here is a good article about safe shrimp

http://www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/sustainable-seafood-choose-best-shrimp?cm_mmc=Yahoo_Health-_-8%20Cruelest%20Foods%20You%20Eat-_-Slideshow-_-The%20Not-So-Simple%20Life%20Of%20Shrimp

[jsmirman]

33. Thanks

[jsmirman]

12. Man, this story should practically read "and then I decided to kill myself"

because, really, holy fucking hell.

[n2doc]

14. go local if you can

Here in Savannah one can buy from the local shrimpers.

[nolabear]

15. Or buy certified American caught and processed seafood. Eating out just got harder though.

Dammit. I'm running out of things to eat.

[XemaSab]

21. I, for one, am never going to knowingly eat seafood from the Gulf anytime soon

It's a bummer for the people who fish down there, but eating toxic waste isn't ok.

[frylock]

58. yep, i eat my seafood at our local shops..

Mitch's and Point Loma Seafoods. You can sit on the patio, enjoy your meal, and watch the boats come in.

[JEFF9K]

17. Seafood, YUK!

I've never liked seafood. Now I don't like it even worse!

[limpyhobbler]

18. Quit complaining and eat what you're given.

[JEFF9K]

62. Eat what you're given.

Excellent!

[cliffordu]

19. Cows raised on cow carcasses

approved for American consumption....AFAIK.

[LeftyMom]

40. Nah, that's not legal anymore. But you can eat cows that are fed "poultry litter" containing cow,

because lord forbid somebody spend a few extra cents to deprive you of your dose of vitamin BSE.

[arcane1]

20. At least it's only 8%

I wonder what other farmed shrimp are fed.

Then again, they don't have the most appetizing diets in the wild!

Bottom line: we import too much food. Why is farmed shrimp in Asia being shipped across the globe to us? Why do we have the "$2,000 salad"? Why do apples have a "Made in China" sticker?

[ecstatic]

22. I can't...

I just ate some Seapak jumbo shrimp... After reading this, I rushed to their website to see where they get it from and their answer is pretty shady. Nothing is safe to eat anymore.

[Seedersandleechers]

23. I don't buy fish very often but when I do

I read the labels and buy fresh caught fish from Alaska, Northern Atlantic, and off the coast of Norway. Where I live fish seems to be appropriately labeled.

[lalalu]

26. Wild caught is the way to go.

Stay away from farm raised. Although I don't know why people are upset. This is why some religious groups won't eat seafood like shrimp. They are considered scavengers of the sea.

[Smilo]

24. Tell the FDA to Crack Down on Unsafe Imported Seafood

Tell the FDA to Crack Down on Unsafe Imported Seafood
BY MARK GOODMAN
Target: Thomas D. Williams, Executive Officer of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition branch of the Food and Drug Administration
Goal: Bar the importation of unsafe seafood into the United States

Sign the Petition:

http://forcechange.com/36837/tell-the-fda-to-crack-down-on-unsafe-imported-seafood/

[jerseyjack]

27. --- public radio story about a month ago...

sushi and sashimi are processed in Asia and frozen for transport here. Employees don't wash their hands and some of the material is contaminated. I guess if you cooked the fish, you might have half a chance of not getting sick but with raw fish....

[LeftyMom]

42. Little known fact: The main sushi distributor in the US is owned by the Moonies.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/watchdog/chi-0604sushi-1-story,0,656681.story

[crunch60]

56. Much as the Marriot Hotel was founded by a Mormon

with money going to the Mormon church, who knew? I certainly won't check into that hotel again!

snip;
Schanker compared the relationship to successful business owners-such as J. Willard "Bill" Marriott, a prominent Mormon who founded the hotel chain that bears his name-who donate money to their church.

"Marriott supports the Mormon Church but no one who checks into a Marriott Hotel thinks they are dealing with Mormonism," he said. "In the same way I would hope that every business founded by a member based on inspiration from Rev. Moon's vision also would be in a position to support the church.".

[otohara]

29. Gross, I only buy gulf coast

Shrimps!

Hate Thai shrimps, gray and chewy!

[840high]

30. Oh crap.

[kestrel91316]

31. Nope. No thank you. I am leaning vegetarian now.

This is filthy and disgusting and.......NOTHING COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG, I'm sure.

[HeiressofBickworth]

34. I rarely go to (well-known fish restaurant)

but for a change, went a couple of weeks ago. They had all kinds of shrimp dishes on the menu. I asked where the shrimp came from; they said the Gulf. I politely said that I don't eat shrimp from the Gulf because of the oil disbursement they used on the oil spill. That left very few other dinner options. I already knew that tilapia is imported from filthy fish farms in SE Asia and Mexico. I finally decided on the fish & chips -- the fish was pollock which is a cold water fish and still caught in the wild. Overall, I'd say my fish-eating days are over.

[Quantess]

36. Gross! (no text)

[pinboy3niner]

37. Yeah, we only eat primo seafood raised on BP oil sludge

[flamingdem]

39. How's the pig feces thread going?

[sakabatou]

41. Ah, the joys of eating kosher...

[Trillo]

43. I remember watching aquarium fish eat other fishes feces.

Long time ago. Sometimes they'd spit it out. Isn't this something that fish normally do? I'm not a fish, so I don't really know. Sharks eat other fish, I've read....

[WinkyDink]

47. Wild sharks being carnivores isn't in the same ballpark as this story.

[Sheepshank]

50. During one episode of Dirty Jobs

...in the US, they show fish farm where tilapia were being fed Bass (fish) poo.....almost exclusively. Tilapia being described a a poo eating carp.

I haven't been able to eat tilapia since.

[still_one]

51. no more sushi. though I am a vegi so it really won't affect me

[KurtNYC]

52. Poop Corn Shrimp

Shrimp and lobsters are sea cockroaches.

[littlemissmartypants]

54. Heart disease and diet

EATING HEALTHY PROTEIN

Meat, poultry, seafood, dried peas, lentils, nuts, and eggs are good sources of protein, B vitamins, iron, and other vitamins and minerals.

Avoid duck, goose, marbled meats (such as a ribeye steak), prime cuts of high-fat meats, organ meats such as kidneys and liver, and prepared meats such as sausage, hot dogs, and high-fat lunch meats.
Eat no more than 6 cooked ounces of meat, poultry, and fish daily. One serving of these foods should be about the size of a deck of cards on your plate.
Trim off all the visible fat before cooking the meat.
Eat two servings of fish per week.
Cook by baking, broiling, roasting, steaming, boiling, or microwaving rather than deep frying.
For the main entree, use less meat or have meatless meals a few times a week. Use smaller amounts of meat to reduce the total fat content of the meal.
Use skinless turkey, chicken, fish, or lean red meat to reduce the amount of saturated fat in your diet. You may occasionally eat lean, 3-ounce cuts of red meat.
Do not use more than three or four egg yolks per week, including the eggs you use in cooking.
Eat less organ meat (such as liver) and shellfish (such as shrimp and lobster)

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002436.htm

[On the Road]

55. People Think Shrimp Don't Do This Already?

The shrimp farmers are just giving them more of a natural food source.

[intaglio]

57. Sorry, not shocking

Fishermen know that the biggest and best crabs are caught by (human) sewage outfalls

[silverweb]

59. U.S. fresh-water prawn farming is a growing enterprise.

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]Prawns are just a fresh-water variety of shrimp. Much easier to farm sustainably and hygienically. See: http://freshwaterprawn.org/grower_info/growerinfo.html

There are also a few brands of U.S. farmed shrimp available. Here's one: http://www.marvesta.com.

[JEFF9K]

65. Forget what I said about liver.

This stuff makes liver look tasty!

[Horse with no Name]

67. I haven't eaten seafood in years

and I don't believe this will entice me to start now,lol