Origin labels can raise questions about food safety
I like knowing if the watermelon I'm buying was grown in Green River or Mexico, or if the grapes came from Chile. So I appreciate country of origin labeling, known as COOL.
But the recently added meat and seafood labels make me feel geographically challenged. For instance, the package of ground beef that says it came from Canada, the United States and Mexico. Surely the label could be more specific than a whole continent? That just seems like a heckuva lot of miles for one cow to travel.
But, from what I've been able to interpret, this could mean that the cow was born in one country, raised in another country and slaughtered in a third. Or that the ground beef was made from meat scraps from more than one cow, and they all came from different spots on the map.
The seafood labels are even more confusing. I saw a package of frozen salmon that proudly proclaimed "WILD ALASKA SALMON" on the front.
But the small print on the back said, "product of China." I asked the butcher how wild salmon caught in Alaska could still be a product of China. After all, that's quite a swim for a fish.
She told me the fish is caught in Alaska, then shipped to China for processing. I must have looked incredulous, because she added, "They've been doing this for a long time, but it's only because of the country of origin labels that anyone noticed."
I checked packages of other frozen fish, which are apparently well-traveled. Great American Seafood Imports' "Pacific wild-caught salmon fillet" came from China. Its farm-raised tilapia fillets were also from China, and its white shrimp from Thailand. Kroger's "wild-caught" cod fillets were from China, as were its bay scallops.
Chicken of the Sea frozen shrimp was a product of Indonesia, and Star Kist's canned "wild- caught tuna" said, "product of Ecuador." Harbor Seafood's "sushi-grade" swordfish, "all-natural, wild-caught," was a product of Singapore.
I e-mailed the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, asking how much wild Alaska salmon takes a detour to China before it's sold in the United States.
"ASMI does not have access to this information. Only individual seafood processors would have that information. I can tell you that it would likely be a significant amount, but that not all of it comes back to the U.S., much goes to the E.U.," spokesperson Emily Butler wrote.
She added that the fish is quick-frozen before it's shipped to China. The processing includes portioning it into fillets, and the purpose ofsending it to China is "cost savings."
Perhaps my concerns are unfounded, but this is the same country that gave us toxic melamine in milk products and pet food, and lead paint on toys.
Recent comments
Yet the experts that oversee public health insist that we eat plenty...
Terry | June 3, 2009 at 2:22 p.m.
I first noticed this when seeing that my Dole peaches were from...
Anne | May 9, 2009 at 4:41 p.m.
After reading this, I went to my freezer and looked at that package...
A fish story | May 7, 2009 at 10:03 p.m.
- Cleveland case expands overseas 1:27 p.m.
- Banks eye tight credit card terms 1:25 p.m.
- Prep girls soccer MVPs named 1:16 p.m.
- Iran accuses hikers of espionage 1:09 p.m.
- Making health care better 1:03 p.m.
- New bishop heads Lufkin LDS Church 1:03 p.m.
- Hall, Jorgensen honored by MWC 12:58 p.m.
- 'Start knocking heads' on healthcare 12:27 p.m.
- Pac-10 reinstates Oregon's Blount 12:25 p.m.
- I-84 crash closes lanes in Canyon 12:01 p.m.
- TCU showdown has big implications
- Seniors helped BYU regroup
- Hope for single moms
- Lambert surprisingly tops news
- TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
- Bystanders framed for child porn
- Korver and Miles to be evaluated
- Utah Jazz Extra: Whose hot/not
- Newhouse Hotel, an explosive end
- TCU moves into 4th place in BCS
- Gay advocates trek to LDS office
239 - House passes health care bill
211 - Lobo suspended
176 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
153 - TCU showdown has big implications
132 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
130 - Provo company innovating engines
105 - Thousands protest health bill
104 - RSL rallies to advance
103 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
99
Today's blog is brought to you by the letter S. That's right, it's...
Anon at 12:49 is right. Interesting to think that all these terrorists agree...
I have women friends who through no fault of their own face raising their...
If only the weather was warmer in winter I would enjoy the Utah bubble LOL
I'm sure that, in about 8 years or so, we'll finally hear the liberals admit...
All you reported is old News, what was in the Report. I want the Information...
Conservatives just need to stop being racist and evil by expecting everyone...
Did anyone bother to actually watch the whole game? Did anyone see every...
Kyle, do you think your hairdo is cool or is it for religious purposes?
How easy is it to sit on a chair and critique everyone else. Publicwatcher?...
TCU 24 Utah 14 EOM


