In cod we can't trust: DNA shows fish often mislabelled for sale
25.08.2008 18:01
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- Source: cbc.ca
Many consumers are being reeled in and are paying high prices for fish that has been mislabelled, according to a University of Guelph study. The study, which will be published next week in the journal of Food Research International, tested the DNA of 100 fish samples taken from restaurants and markets in Toronto, Guelph, Ont., and New York City. The researchers found that 25 per cent of the fish tested were mislabelled. The study showed, for example, that Atlantic Halibut was often sold as Pacific Halibut and samples of Atlantic cod and Acadian redfish were mislabelled as the pricier Red Snapper. "This not only raises concerns of consumer fraud, but also public health," said Robert Hanner, the associate director for the Canadian Barcode of Life Network, in a release. "A person could have allergies to a certain species and if it's mislabelled that could have dangerous consequences." Researchers also noted that some labels for endangered fish species had been swapped. "Consumers may think they are doing the right thing for the environment by buying a certain type of fish that is eco-friendly when really they could actually still be buying exploited species," said Hanner. Hanner and Eugene Wong, a graduate student at the University of Guelph, teamed up with Kate Stoeckle and Louisa Strauss, two recent high school graduates in New York City. Stoeckle told the New York Times she initiated the project because she was curious about checking the genetic fingerprinting of sushi samples. She enlisted Strauss to help with the project and sent the samples to Wong to compare against Guelph's Barcode of Life Database. Stoeckle and Strauss plan to publish their findings in Pacific Fishing Magazine. RelatedInternal LinksEndangered fish stocks spur Canadian chefs to change menusSupermarkets stocking unsustainable seafood species: GreenpeaceMake seafood selections wisely, environmental group urgesCBC ARCHIVES: To the last fishBLOG: Food BytesConsumer HeadlinesMeat product recall widens to sandwiches sold at Safeway, Mac'sA Calgary-based company has added over two dozen of its ready-made sandwiches to a widening recall of meat products over concerns the meat might be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.Federal government deems 4 chemicals danger to humansThe federal government says four of the 19 chemicals it recently assessed are toxic to humans, although one of the four is so little used that it has only been put on a watch list. Jazz removes life vests to save fuelAir Canada's regional carrier Jazz has removed inflatable life vests from its planes to save weight, a spokeswoman said. Police warn parents about video game system predatorsEdmonton city police are warning parents that child predators are using new video game systems to lure children when the kids are playing games online. Burning incense increases cancer risks: studyInhaling incense fumes over long periods increases the risk of developing cancers of the respiratory tract, a finding that applies to Asian populations worldwide, researchers warn. Consumer Life FeaturesIN DEPTHTravelWorld's Decadent Hotel AmenitiesVIDEOFoodCanada's first green shrimp fishery opens in N.L. (2:11)SAFETYRecalls and Advisories- Bicycle pedals
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