NOAA Fisheries has formally rolled out a web-based screening tool that can flag potentially mislabeled finfish fillets before they hit the seafood aisle.
NOAA Fisheries has formally rolled out a web-based screening tool that can flag potentially mislabeled finfish fillets before they hit the seafood aisle. Developed by the National Seafood Inspection Laboratory (NSIL), the Species Substitution & Protein Pattern Matching Tool could help the seafood industry address finfish substitution and fraud.
Finfish fillets can be incorrectly labeled at any one of the numerous links in the chain from the fishermen to retail markets or restaurants. And the reasons for mislabeling are almost as numerous—ranging from a simple mistake to intentional fraud aimed at selling cheaper products at a higher price point.
For shoppers, mislabeled fillets thwart consumer choice and can introduce food safety risks. The practice also erodes consumer confidence in seafood and undermines the economic viability of U.S. fisheries, which are rigorously managed under 10 national standards of sustainability.
To help maintain the nation’s safe, sustainable supply of seafood, researchers at NSIL developed a lab method and online screening tool that lab technicians can employ to compare finfish muscle proteins against NSIL’s Authenticated Finfish Species Library.
Continue reading at NOAA Fisheries.
Image via NOAA Fisheries.
