are shrimp from vietnam safe to eat

In the freezer section, Costco sells bags of frozen shrimp, cooked, uncooked, various sizes - all at good prices. In 2019, China became the largest buyer of its pangasius, and it was also a top importer of Vietnamese shrimp. David Goldin. One reason farmers turn to antibiotics is that shrimp in crowded farms are extremely susceptible to diseases, such as Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS), which can wipe out entire harvests. Unfortunately, because of demand, 94% of the shrimp that is consumed is farmed and raised in man-made ponds along the coasts of Thailand, China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Mexico, and Ecuador. Another common certification is Best Aquaculture Practices, but we found antibiotics on four samples with that label. My concern is that I've read a lot of very scary stuff about farmed fish in Vietnam and now I'm wondering if I should be concerned about the shrimp that Costco carries. They included Atlantic white, Key West pink, and Gulf white shrimp, all caught in the U.S., as well as farmed shrimp from Thailand, Ecuador, and Vietnam. Find out more about which shrimp labels you can trust and which ones you can't, read Consumer Reports' The Lowdown on Shrimp Labels. Consumer Reports recommends buying farmed shrimp raised without chemicals, including antibiotics. Do you known how safe ( non Not only aren’t those chemicals permitted by the U.S. for shrimp farming, but they can also put your health at risk and damage the environment. In 11 samples of raw imported farmed shrimp, we detected anti­biotics. Our tests suggest that wild shrimp from U.S. waters may be worth the higher price. Farmed shrimp, however, is far from healthy, and is considered probably one of the most Unhealthy types of seafood you can possibly eat. By comparison, raising beef on land cleared in the Amazon rainforest creates only a tenth of the carbon footprint. In the U.S. alone, shrimp nets kill some 52,600 sea turtles, part of an estimated 1.8 million tons of global bycatch annually. But there’s a strange illogic here: According to Donald Lightner, Ph.D., a professor of veterinary science and microbiology at the University of Arizona, EMS doesn’t respond to antibiotics. Read more about the shrimp labels you can trust. SeafoodSource points out that in 2019, SeaChoice criticized the Aquaculture Stewardship Council for its standards on salmon. Most farmed shrimp is imported to the United States from Vietnam, India and South America. Nevertheless, in 2015 the FDA refused entry to shipments of shrimp containing banned antibiotics from China, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Bangladesh, India and Mexico. Of all the shrimp we tested, they were among the least likely to harbor any kind of bacteria or contain chemicals. In Thailand, shrimp processing facilities have been linked to human trafficking. Overall, our tasters found very little difference between the farmed and wild shrimp. MRSA causes serious skin and blood infections. Antibiotics—none of which are approved by the U.S. for shrimp farming and which are illegal in imported shrimp—are problematic because their use can ultimately lead to bacteria becoming antibiotic-resistant, meaning that at some point the antibiotic may no longer work to treat common human ailments. But they did note that some wild shrimp had a taste of iodine—a flavor that our experts say is probably due to higher levels of bromophenols. In fact, … In our tests, we found concerning bacteria, including vibrio and staphylococcus aureus, in a few of our cooked samples. Ready for even more problems with shrimp farmed from abroad? Shrimp are often raised in manmade ponds. “Producers should be honest about how their shrimp is raised.”. Shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico may contain oil residues. Thailand accounts for the majority of shrimp imported to the United States, and its system is rife with human rights abuses. After I inject the substances, I sell them to seafood export companies in Ca Mau [Vietnam].” “I have to do this because all local shrimp suppliers do this.” The owner said the company buys the chemical CMC to inject shrimp … Some of this seafood comes from as close as Canada, but it can also come from both farmed and wild sources on the other side of the world, where aquaculture standards aren't as rigorous as they are in the United States. But organizations like the Marine Stewardship Council and the Aquaculture Stewardship Council offer a way to help consumers determine which shrimp to choose. 90 Percent of the Shrimp We Eat Is Imported (but We Don’t Even Know) According to a report from Food & Water Watch, in 2006, more than 90 percent (about 868,265 tons) of the U.S. shrimp supply was imported. According to Consumer Reports, the US consumes almost 18 million servings a day of shrimp.And most of that shrimp is imported. What’s more, resistance can be transferred to other bacteria, including those that cause common human infections. New England “Fried” Shrimp and More Healthy Shrimp … “Antibiotics are chemicals,” Rangan says. They add a blue check mark bearing the name of their respective organizations to packages of the seafood that they deem acceptable to eat. Though seafood violations varied depending on the different inspection systems used across countries, the Hopkins researchers found that shrimp and prawns, overall, exceeded drug residue limits most frequently. Read more about trustworthy labels on shrimp packages and how giving antibiotics to animals can encourage antibiotic resistance. Our experts say more should be done to prevent contamination, but note that cooking should kill the bacteria. Each of us eats, on average, almost 4 pounds per year, making shrimp more popular than tuna. We recommend farmed shrimp labeled Naturland, Aquaculture Stewardship Council, or Whole Foods Market Responsibly Farmed. But according to Leape, "That is absolutely the kind of fishery that should not be certified." Those shrimp-farming practices raise a variety of concerns—not just about how safe shrimp are to eat but also about the environmental damage that can be caused by farming them that way. By comparison, in 2013, when we tested raw chicken breasts, 97 percent of the samples contained bacteria, says Rangan, who oversaw both the shrimp and chicken studies. Find out what to look for when you’re buying shrimp in the seafood aisle. Overall, 60 percent of our raw shrimp tested positive for bacteria, but it’s important to keep those findings in perspective. But our love affair with shrimp does have a downside. In some cases 150 shrimp can occupy a single square meter (roughly the size of a 60-inch flat-screen television) where they’re fed commercial pellets, sometimes containing antibiotics to ward off disease. But farming shrimp with antibiotics has the potential to cause harm down the road: Antibiotics don’t kill off all bacteria, and those that do survive can multiply. This article also appeared in the June 2015 issue of Consumer Reports magazine. The small quantities of antibiotics we found probably wouldn’t affect a typical consumer’s health, says Michael Crupain, M.D., M.P.H., director of the Consumer Reports Food Safety and Sustainability Center. Thailand, the biggest … If those resistant bacteria cause infections, certain antibiotics that once treated them will no longer work. Compared with the chicken samples, far fewer shrimp contained salmonella, which is often responsible for outbreaks of food poisoning. It might be tough to avoid internationally farmed shrimp entirely. The United States imports an estimated 80 percent of its seafood every year (via FishWatch). In 16 percent of cooked, ready-to-eat shrimp, we found several bacteria, including vibrio and E. coli. It’s the FDA’s job to inspect shrimp coming into the U.S. to make sure it doesn’t contain any drugs or chemicals that aren’t permitted in imported shrimp. In a 3-ounce serving of cooked shrimp, you’ll get 101 calories, 19 grams of protein, 1 gram of fat, and 179 milligrams of cholesterol, making shrimp a healthy, low-fat source of protein. I've tried them and find them very tasty. You Should Never Eat Imported Farm-Raised Shrimp. We tested for bacteria such as salmonella, vibrio, staphylococcus aureus, and E. coli. “This is seafood fraud, especially given the far higher price of wild shrimp,” says study author and senior scientist Kimberly Warner, Ph.D. Oceana even found a small banded coral shrimp, which is not meant to be eaten, mixed into a bag of salad-sized shrimp. It's a whole different way of thinking. That can include shrimp farmed in large outdoor ponds that mimic the natural habitat or in tanks that constantly filter and recycle water and waste. Marianne Cufone, an environmental attorney and executive director of the Recirculating Farms Coalition, says there are some clues that might help you distinguish wild from farmed. But don’t assume that briny means better. This article tells you whether raw shrimp is safe to eat. Wastewater can be periodically discharged into nearby waterways. Thailand. Shrimp are harvested one of two ways: wild-caught in the ocean with nets or farmed. Still, when it comes to safety and sustainability, responsibly caught U.S. wild shrimp is our top choice. Beluga sturgeon are ancient fish that are highly sought for their fish eggs, aka caviar. (In nearly all cases we also purchased raw farmed imported shrimp from those outlets that tested negative for any antibiotics.) The facility worker confessed, “Every day I buy around 30-50 kg of shrimp. In 2012, for example, the MSC designated the Canadian swordfish industry sustainable. Photo: The creation of shrimp farms has a huge negative effect on the environment. In 2015, Consumer Reports claimed an astonishing 94 percent of the country's shrimp comes from abroad. Footage captured by a Vietnamese television station in 2016 appeared to show workers in a Vietnamese shrimp factory injecting tiger shrimp in the heads, tails, and middle of the body with the gel substance. Dangers of Imported Shrimp. See our. On top of this, there's the worry that the liberal use of antibiotics in food products can lead to problems like antibiotic-resistant bacteria. For shoppers the dilemma starts at the grocery store, where it’s difficult to know what to buy. Consumer Reports has evaluated organizations and stores that certify whether farmed shrimp—both domestic and imported—have been raised without drugs and chemicals. From 20-hour workdays to child labor and physical abuse, the stories are appalling. Don’t Miss: 6 of the Healthiest Fish and Shellfish to Eat, 6 to Avoid. The mild flavor of this shellfish makes them a great way to eat toward the new MyPlate dietary guidelines of getting 8 ounces or more of seafood a week. Look for these two logos logos that certify shrimp were farmed sustainably: the Global Aquaculture Alliance's blue fish logo or the turquoise checkmark logo of its European counterpart, the Aquaculture Stewardship Council. “Batches of farmed shrimp often all hatch at the same time, eat the same food, and live in the same environment, so they’re more likely to look the same.” Cufone’s second tip: “Look for poop, or what is politely called a vein.” Frequently, shrimp farmers stop feeding shrimp before harvesting them so that the vein empties. Some of these antibiotics have been banned for use in food products in the United States and others have been linked to cancer. Any views expressed are those of Consumer Reports and its advocacy arm, Consumers Union, and do not necessarily reflect theviews of The Pew Charitable Trusts. Shrimp is a popular shellfish worldwide, but you may wonder if it's safe to eat raw. You Should Never Eat Imported Farm-Raised Shrimp. Shrimp fisheries in the United States are clean, well-regulated, and safe. “Vibrio is the most common cause of food poisoning from eating raw oysters,” Rangan says. Build & Buy Car Buying Service Not always. A 2013 article by NPR questioned whether such sustainable labels were accurate. But of concern, we found vibrio on many shrimp samples. If you see a dark line, there’s a better chance it’s a real wild shrimp. Although many countries permit the use of antibiotics for shrimp farming, foreign shrimp destined for the U.S. market are not allowed to be raised using them and it is illegal to import shrimp containing them into this country. For every pound of shrimp produced in an ex-mangrove area, around a ton of carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere. Those bacteria can potentially cause illnesses such as food poisoning—which could include diarrhea and dehydration—and, in rare instances, can even prove fatal. Thailand has one of the longest histories of shrimp farming in the world and has been a … Over 90 percent of shrimp on the U.S. market is imported, and many countries have yellow- … Argentinian red shrimp is still a relatively new addition to the UK Seafood market when compared to other crustaceans; however, that means very little because import numbers are beginning to grow as more and more people find out just how good the shrimps actually are. A “dolphin safe” label means very little and doesn't necessarily imply that the tuna you're about to eat was caught without bycatch or processed by well-treated workers. ), The contaminated samples were purchased at the following retailers in March, 2014: Albertsons, Costco, Fry’s Marketplace, Hy-Vee, Kroger, Sprouts Farmers Market and Walmart. They claim to trace the provenance of the products and highlight seafood that has come from sources that are both environmentally and socially sustainable. But evidence shows that those vast overseas operations may use antibiotics similar to those that humans rely on to treat infections. Posted in Food Safety,Vibrio on November 8, 2018. “In fact,” says Steven Wilson, deputy director of the NOAA Fisheries Office of International Affairs and Seafood Inspection, “it could be the same shrimp that's in the freezer case—just defrosted.”. Consumer Reports is calling on the federal government to make shrimp safer for American consumers. Save thousands off MSRP with upfront dealer pricing information and a transparent car buying experience. In Vietnam, some sellers have been injecting gel into the shrimp to increase their weight and make them seem fresher (via Yahoo News). Sizes varied, but the difference in price was startling; it ranged from $10 per pound for farmed shrimp from Ecuador to $19.99 per pound for wild-caught Gulf white shrimp and wild-caught Key West pink shrimp. It turned out that 30 percent of the labels were misleading in some way. Sellers may not always tell (or even know) the truth about the origins of the shrimp they offer. Another confusing choice for consumers is whether to buy the frozen shrimp you see in bags or the “fresh” shrimp at the seafood counter. Oceana bought 143 shrimp samples from 111 vendors nationwide and ran DNA tests to figure out exactly what type, or species, they’d purchased. Some farming has triggered massive shrimp pandemics and destruction of fragile mangroves. Shrimp top the list. A medium-sized shrimp farm in Southeast Asia can produce close to a million pounds of shrimp per year—a powerful incentive for farmers to maximize production. But a 2014 Oceana study found that even those common classifications can be inaccurate. If ponds aren’t carefully managed, a sludge of fecal matter, chemicals, and excess food can build up and decay. But both methods come at a high cost. If you want to be extra careful, you can buy raw shrimp, handle it properly, and cook it yourself to kill any bacteria. The U.S. shrimping industry is more heavily regulated, so you know the shrimp was caught using environmentally sustainable practices. “And even though most bacteria on shrimp would be killed during the cooking process, our test results raise real questions about how shrimp is raised, processed, and regulated.”. The Marine Stewardship Council deals with wild seafood while the Aquaculture Stewardship Council handles farmed varieties. Eat this instead: The good news, if you love fish 'n' chips (which is nearly always made with cod), is that Pacific cod stocks are still strong and are one of Food and Water Watch’s best fish picks. But in our tests, of the 205 raw farmed imported shrimp samples, 11 samples from Vietnam, Thailand, and Bangladesh tested positive for one or more antibiotics: Nine tested positive for oxytetracycline, three contained enrofloxacin, and two contained sulfa antibiotics. Plus, shrimp is a lean source of protein. (Reuters) But there was also good news, in that there are plenty of healthful choices available. Though buying cooked shrimp may be convenient, it does not guarantee safety. How can a consumer make smart choices given those shady shrimp sellers? A large number of shrimp samples from Vietnam and Bangladesh were found to have antibiotic residues in them (via Oceana). To do our own testing, Consumer Reports bought 342 packages of frozen shrimp—284 raw and 58 cooked samples—at large chain supermarkets, big-box stores, and “natural” food stores in 27 cities across the U.S. (We didn’t include fresh, never-frozen shrimp because they account for only a small percentage of the shrimp that consumers buy.). The shrimp business can be extraordinarily lucrative when it’s done on a large scale. Illustration: However, the blue check marks might need to come with an asterisk. Read more about how to safely clean shrimp. Funding for this project was provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts. “Wild shrimp often vary in size, shape, and color because they don’t all have identical genetics,” she says. https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2015/06/shrimp-safety Consumer Reports is not alleging that any of the retailers from which we purchased the 11 raw farmed shrimp that tested positive for antibiotic residues violated any laws. According to the FDA, if those drugs had been detected in even one shrimp sample, the entire shipment would have been refused entry into the U.S. Consumer Reports has shared our test results with the FDA and asked them to investigate (For more details about our test results, visit greenerchoices.org/shrimp.). And in seven raw shrimp samples (six farmed and one wild), we found MRSA—methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, a bacteria that can cause infections that are often difficult to treat. Imported shrimp, more than any other seafood, has been found to be contaminated with banned chemicals, pesticides, and even cockroaches, and it … Although the substance, carboxymethyl cellulose, is not considered harmful for humans to consume, the practice has been labeled unscrupulous. Andre Baranowski/Getty Images, Deciding When It's Time to Upgrade Your Child's Car Seat, from countries such as India, Indonesia, and Thailand. Canada imports about $700 million in shrimp every year, with much of it coming from India, Vietnam, China and Thailand. But, says Rangan, “A law on Louisiana’s books prohibits the enforcement of those rules.”. So which farmed shrimp should you buy? Once considered a special-occasion treat, shrimp has become so ubiquitous that we now expect to find it on the menu whether we’re at a pricey restaurant or a fast-food joint. It is the FDA, not local retailers, that is charged with enforcing the law that prohibits importing shrimp containing antibiotics. Shrimp connoisseurs, from celebrity chefs to seasoned shrimpers, claim to detect a striking difference between wild and farmed shrimp, and there’s some science to support their claims. We found the antibiotic-resistant bacteria MRSA on six samples of farmed shrimp from Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Ecuador, and on one wild sample from the U.S. MRSA can make you sick. (Consumer Reports is calling on the federal government to make shrimp safer for American consumers. Shrimp raised in the U.S. is generally considered eco-friendly. Pretty sure they are all farmed. Sure enough, wild shrimp had far higher levels of compounds called bromophenols, which the researchers equated with a “briny, oceanlike” flavor. By 2000, Vietnam had become the world's fifth-largest producer of farmed shrimp, and annual earnings from the trade are already US$500m, but the … Vietnamese company, Minh Phu, having been accused of selling shrimp imported from India as Vietnamese shrimp to avoid anti-dumping duties, have announced that they no longer source from this producing country and that the accusations… Vietnam attacks use of banned ingredients in fish food 15-01-2020 | Viet Nam News Indonesia, China, India, Vietnam, and Bangladesh. 90 Percent of the Shrimp We Eat Is Imported (but We Don’t Know) According to a report from Food & Water Watch, in 2006, more than 90 percent of the shrimp we eat was imported, with Thailand as the leading exporter, followed by Ecuador, Indonesia, China, Mexico and Vietnam. One reason farmed shrimp is so popular is that it can be cheaper than wild shrimp, which is caught in the ocean. “Bacteria and algae can begin to grow and disease can set in, prompting farmers to use drugs and other chemicals that can remain on the shrimp and seep into the surrounding environment,” says Urvashi Rangan, Ph.D., executive director of the Consumer Reports Food Safety and Sustainability Center. But this may change as American companies, like the Tru Shrimp Company in … For example, they may use tetracyclines. Find out about six types of shrimp you might find at the grocery store, the shrimp labels you should look for, and how to properly clean shrimp. If you’re buying from a gourmet seafood store or seaside market, you may find actual fresh shrimp, but the truth is that most shrimp you encounter in supermarkets have been frozen soon after they are caught, before they are shipped to stores. “There are no U.S. standards for the organic label when it comes to seafood, unlike for produce and meat.” The same goes for labels proclaiming that a package of shrimp is “Natural” or “Environmentally Aware.” We also picked up a bag of shrimp labeled “Chemical-free” (a claim that is not regulated), which tested positive for the antibiotics oxytetracycline and sulfamethoxazole. 2019 saw $3.38 billion worth of shrimp exported from Vietnam (via Customs News), so these gel-injected shrimp may have made their way overseas. Labels and names can be confusing, meaningless, or—worse—deceptive. Vietnam exported seafood worth USD 1.23 billion (EUR 1.11 billion) to China last year, up 23 percent from 2018. 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