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| Something fishy: Mallory Shure of Brooklyn enjoys grilled salmon over mixed greens at Ear Inn, a pub on the west side of Manhattan, New York
City. Ramin Talaie/Special to The Christian Science Monitor |
Wary diners ask: Is fish from China?
After the FDA voices safety concerns about certain Chinese exports, some Americans are beginning to look more closely at restaurant selections.
from the July 25, 2007 edition
Page 2 of 3
That, however, has been a highly controversial issue. Consumer advocates were successful at getting country-of-origin labeling for fish into the last farm bill. But it only applies to large grocery stores.
"The problem is that companies that import seafood don't want consumers to know where their seafood comes from," says Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch, a consumer advocacy organization in Washington. "Most of the big seafood chains are almost entirely serving imported seafood."
Catfish and politics
Just back from a trip to China, seafood importer Matt Fass, president of Maritime Products International in Newport News, Va., says the issues surrounding safe-to-eat fish have a heavy dose of politics in them. For example, he blames the domestic catfish lobby for trying to stifle competition. "The issue is not necessarily health and safety," he maintains. "I know not everything is perfect in China, but we know what a great job they are trying to do."
No doubt for consumers, much of this is confusing.
Mark Wolfe, a resident and frequent restaurant patron in the nation's capital, says he never considered the lineage of the piscine course. "I'm thinking about it now," he says. "You know that farm-raised salmon is questionable. Now, what are we supposed to do?"
That type of confusion is causing diners to avoid the ocean side of the menu at Cucina D'Angelo in Boca Raton, reports chef Angelo Morenilli. Patrons are not ordering as many shrimp dishes because of concerns about Chinese seafood, he says. "The big news has stuck in their minds, and now they ask where the fish came from," Mr. Morenilli adds.
Over in San Francisco, Susan Nagy says she's horrified at how many times she and her husband may have eaten shrimp from China. (Only 7 percent of shrimp sold in the US is imported from China.)
"Now, I have to think twice before I will purchase or order it," she writes in an e-mail. "I am wary of shrimp now even if it's not from China."
Ms. Nagy notes that it's becoming more common for restaurants to inform diners of where fish were swimming when they were caught.
That's the case at Hayes Street Grill, where a recent menu included the local catch, "Steve Fitz's Half Moon Bay Sand Dabs." The menu notes that the item was caught using a Scottish seine, which is supposed to create the least disturbance to the ocean floor.
San Francisco restaurants "are the pioneers of the informational menu," says Patricia Unterman, chef and co-owner.
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