The Unsavory Aspects of Farmed Shrimp

Disturbing News May Make You Think Twice About Eating This Seafood

The latest research shows this seafood favorite may be wildly contaminated. Even though less than 2% is inspected, it makes up over 25% of all seafood rejected for contamination. Don't eat it unless it comes from these locations...

14 August 2013

Story at-a-glance

• Farmed shrimp tends to be far more contaminated than wild-caught shrimp. Despite that fact, less than two percent of shrimp imported into the US gets inspected by US regulatory agencies
• Farmed shrimp can contain a wide variety of contaminants, including hazardous drugs, chemical residues from cleaning agents, pathogens like Salmonella and E.coli, along with other contaminants like mouse and rat hair
• Imported shrimp accounts for 26 to 35 percent of all shipments of imported seafood that get rejected due to filth
• The joint NOAA/FDA Gulf seafood testing program claims majority of seafood samples have no detectable residues of oil or Corexit. But other scientists have raised concerns that the residue limits established are too high
• When farmed in non-native waters, shrimp are raised in underwater pens built along the coastlines, where native mangrove forests are frequently sacrificed to make room for them

By Dr. Mercola

For the past several years, I’ve increasingly recommended avoiding most seafood due to widespread contamination, primarily by mercury, PCBs and other environmental pollutants. 

Shrimp, however, due to their small size, have generally been considered to be one of the safer kinds of seafood. But a recent article¹ may make you think twice about eating shrimp, unless you know it’s wild-caught from a clean source. 

A major part of the problem is farmed shrimp which, like farmed fish, tends to be far more contaminated than its wild-caught counterparts. Aquatic farms of all kinds also pose grave dangers to ecological systems. Another problem is lack of inspection and oversight of imported seafood. 

According to the featured article:

“90 percent of the shrimp we eat has been imported, but less than two percent of that gets inspected by US regulatory agencies. What's the big deal?

Imported shrimp, more than any other seafood, has been found to be contaminated with banned chemicals, pesticides... and it skirts food-safety authorities only to wind up on your plate. The number one reason for all that: the dirty conditions in which farmed shrimp are raised.” 

What You Need to Know About Farmed Shrimp

As a result of declining seafood stocks of all types, aquatic farms of various kinds have become big business. Unfortunately, aquatic farming has turned loose all sorts of environmental hazards, all of which ultimately threaten your health.

The featured article highlights several disturbing facts about farmed shrimp:

1. Contamination is rampant. Farmed shrimp can contain a wide variety of contaminants, including chemical residues from cleaning agents, pathogens like Salmonella and E.coli, along with other contaminants like mouse and rat hair. According to Food and Water Watch, imported shrimp “accounts for 26 to 35 percent of all shipments of imported seafood that get rejected due to filth.”
Another concern relates to chemicals purposefully used on shrimp. Back in 2009, scientists discovered that 4-hexylresorcinol, a preservative used to prevent discoloration in shrimp and other shellfish, acts as a xenoestrogens and can increase the risk of breast cancer in women and reduce sperm counts in men. Xenoestrogens have been associated to a number of human health effects.
A toxicology study² by the University of Surrey School of Biological Sciences showed that 260 mg/kg of 4-hexylresorcinol was lethal to all cats used in the study, and they also found it was carcinogenic in both the 13-week and two-year long studies. It also caused a high incidence of nephropathy (an autoimmune disease that affects your kidneys) in mice.
While astaxanthin is one of the most profoundly effective antioxidants, farmed shrimp have very little to no astaxanthin and are given synthetic astaxanthin,³ to provide the right color because astaxanthin-deficiency in shrimp produces specimens that look blue rather than pink.

In fact, so-called “blue shrimp syndrome” was a persistent and alarming problem of earlier shrimp farms. It is important to know that synthetic astaxanthin is made from petrochemicals that are not approved for human consumption.

2. Shrimp-packing plants are filthy. As reported by Rodale:

“A report published in the November 2012 issue of Bloomberg magazine⁴ revealed some truly disgusting facts about the conditions in which shrimp are packaged and shipped.

At one particular facility in Vietnam, the magazine's reporters found processing-plant floors littered with garbage, flies buzzing around, and shrimp that wasn't being stored at proper temperatures.

The shrimp itself was packed in ice made from local tap water, which public health authorities warned should be boiled before using due to microbial contamination, potentially exposing the shrimp (and eaters) to more bacterial contamination.

According to Bloomberg, FDA inspectors have rejected 1,380 loads of seafood from Vietnam since 2007 for filth and salmonella, including 81 from the plant the reporters visited.”

3. Imported shrimp may contain hazardous antibiotics. Scientists from Texas Tech University's Institute of Environmental and Human Health recently tested 30 shrimp samples for the presence of three classes of antibiotics. The shrimp were obtained from US grocery stores. Two samples of farm-raised shrimp imported from India and Thailand tested positive for nitrofuranzone.⁵
This drug can promote overgrowth of fungi, and has been found to cause breast cancer in female rats when given orally in high doses. Disturbingly, the shrimp were found to contain levels 28 and 29 times higher than allowable limits set by the FDA.
The antibiotic chloramphenical was also detected in some shrimp samples. Chloramephenical is banned in food production in the US due to potentially severe side effects, including aplastic anemia and leukemia. Shrimp may also be contaminated with penicillin, which can trigger allergic reactions in susceptible individuals who might never suspect shrimp as a potential source.

4. Domestic shrimp may be tainted with oil and/or Corexit. The 2010 BP oil spill temporarily closed down shrimp fishing in the Gulf of Mexico, but the fact that shrimp fishing has resumed does not mean the shrimp are 100 percent safe to eat. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) now oversees the Gulf seafood testing program,⁶ along with the FDA and Gulf states, to prevent tainted seafood from reaching the marketplace. NOAA and FDA developed a chemical test to detect oil and the oil dispersant Corexit in seafood, and claim that over 99 percent of samples have no detectable residue.
However, as reported by the featured article, scientists from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) have raised concerns about the residue limits used, warning that they’re not low enough to protect pregnant women and their unborn children.

5. Non-native shrimp farms contribute to climate change. How’s that, you might ask? When farmed in non-native waters, shrimp are raised in underwater pens built along the coastlines, where native mangrove forests are frequently sacrificed to make room for them.
Mangroves serve many important functions in the environment, including providing a buffer against hurricanes and flooding, absorbing carbon dioxide (mangroves absorb more carbon dioxide than rainforests), and serve as the native habitat for a variety of fish, including snapper, tilapia, sea bass, oysters and crab. According to the featured article, as much as 80 percent of mangroves in the top five shrimp-farm areas (Thailand, Ecuador, Indonesia, China, Mexico and Vietnam) have been destroyed as a result of non-native shrimp farming    

If from a Clean Source, Shrimp Are an Excellent Food 

Barring contamination, shrimp, just like fish, can be an excellent nutritious food. The trick is finding wild shrimp harvested from the cleanest cold-water sources possible. For example, shrimp⁷ are a good source of: 

Tryptophan (an essential amino acid)	Vitamin B12	Healthful fats, including omega-3, saturated fat and cholesterol
Selenium	Protein	Astaxanthin

Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch⁸ rates various seafood sources based on sustainability and other parameters. While some of their “Best Choice” shrimp⁹ include farmed shrimp, which I cannot in good conscience recommend, some of the wild-caught shrimp on their good-to-best list include:¹⁰

• Northern shrimp, caught in US/Canadian Atlantic
• Pink shrimp from Oregon
• Wild-caught rock shrimp from the US
• Spot prawns from British Columbia (Canadian Pacific)
• California coonstripe shrimp (caught using submerged pots. To determine this, talk to your fishmonger or the fishery in question)

Buying Local Increases Food Safety and Food Security 

Ideally, you’ll want to buy wild-caught seafood. However, with environmental tragedies like the BP oil spill in the Gulf, and the still-leaking nuclear plant in Fukushima, Japan,¹¹ not to mention the general pollution in waterways across the globe, merely being “wild-caught” is certainly not a guarantee of safety. If you want to eat seafood, I strongly suggest taking the extra step or two to determine how, and from where it was procured. If at all possible, get your seafood from a source that can guarantee its purity through independent lab testing.  

I believe that if you choose wisely, the health benefits of fish and other seafood can still outweigh the potential risks from contamination. 

Disease in farm animals is one of the biggest sources of epidemics in humans, and fish farms are the aquatic version of a confined animal feeding operation (CAFO), which is why I simply cannot recommend farmed seafood of any kind. Just like their land-based cattle and chicken farms, aquatic CAFOs are a breeding ground for disease and toxic waste, and produce food animals of inferior quality. Due to the dramatically increased disease risk—a natural side effect of crowding—these animals are further contaminated with drugs. 

Remember that farmed shrimp are also given synthetic astaxanthin¹² made from petrochemicals. When you eat wild shrimp, you get the benefit of natural astaxanthin, but not so with farmed shrimp... In the latter case, you end up eating a chemical that is not even approved for human consumption!  

In all, the ramifications of our large-scale, mass-producing, chemical-dependent food system are incredibly vast, which is why I urge you to become more curious about your food: Where, and how was it raised, grown, or manufactured? These things do matter; for your health, and the health and future of our planet. When it comes to seafood, whether we’re talking about fish or shrimp, there’s no doubt that aquatic farms are responsible for environmental damage of massive proportions while simultaneously producing inferior food animals, which is why, as a general rule, I recommend avoiding them.

[-] Sources and References

• ¹ Rodale May 14, 2013
• ² INCHEM.org 4-HEXYLRESORCINOL
• ³ Animal Nutrition and Health, The Role of Astaxanthin in Shrimp Pigmentation (PDF)
• ⁴ Bloomberg October 11, 2012
• ⁵ Drugs.com Nitrofurazone
• ⁶ NOAA.gov Seafood Safety
• ⁷ Whfoods.com, The World’s Healthiest Foods, Shrimp
• ⁸ Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch
• ⁹ Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, Shrimp
• ¹⁰ See ref 8
• ¹¹ Fukushimaupdate.com
• ¹² Animal Nutrition and Health, The Role of Astaxanthin in Shrimp Pigmentation (PDF)

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/08/14/farmed-shrimp.aspx?

Marine Toxins: What’s In Your Seafood?

By Delialah Falcon  Ι October 31, 2012

oxins that are found in seafood are known as marine toxins. Marine toxins are chemicals that occur in the environment and can contaminate some varieties of seafood. It is nearly impossible for individuals to be able to detect marine toxins in seafood by simply looking or smelling them, as contaminated seafood looks and smells normal. Marine toxins cannot be detected by taste either. While mercury content is one thing to consider when eating seafood, marine toxins are a whole other issue.
 
Of all of the seafood that is consumed in America, roughly 80 percent of it is imported from overseas. Some recent studies have shown that much of that seafood may be contaminated with marine toxins that can lead to the development of serious health conditions. The seafood that most commonly tests positive for contamination is imported from China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia, and includes:

Shrimp

Catfish

Crabmeat

Tilapia

Polychlorinated Biphenyl (PCB)

PCB’s are dangerous neurotoxins that have been banned in the United States. Even after 20 years of removing them from manufactured products in an attempt to rid the environment of them, PCB’s continue to be detected in human blood samples and breast milk. Studies conducted by the Environmental Working Group found that 7 out of 10 farmed salmon available in Washington DC and Portland, Oregon grocery stores were contaminated with PCB’s. According to this study, researchers conclude that farmed salmon generally contain the highest level of PCB’s of all protein sources in the American food supply, higher than that found in beef, wild salmon and other types of seafood. The problem may lie in the fact that farmed salmon are fed fishmeal that is made from a high percentage of fish oil and ground-up smaller fish, both of which often contain significant amounts of PCB’s.

Flame Retardants

Flame retardants are considered by many scientists and researchers to be the next toxin that is equally dangerous to PCB’s. They are commonly found in common household equipment, such as televisions, computers and furniture. They are neurotoxic chemicals that can be quite harmful.

Flame retardants, also known as PBDE’s (polybrominated diphenyl ethers), are unregulated by American state and federal authorities. Some other governments, such as the European Union, have banned certain flame retardants because of their potential to cause health problems. Analysis of domestic-grown fish have found that at least six common species have tested positive for contamination with flame retardants.

Chlorinated Dioxins

Dioxins are a byproduct of industrial processes. They are chemical compounds that sometimes occur through natural processes, such as forest fires. They are present in low levels in the diet. However, they can be present in moderate amounts in contaminated seafood.

Pesticides

Pesticides that are commonly used for agriculture often contaminate seafood. These pesticides may accumulate in seafood in high amounts, enough to cause illness in individuals who consume enough of the contaminated fish. Although illnesses have been reported in individuals after consuming only one pesticide-contaminated seafood meal, it is a very rare occurrence.

Generally, the hazard is greatest among individuals who experience long-term exposure to pesticide-contaminated seafood. Seafood that is found in the open ocean has a lower risk of being contaminated with pesticides. Higher risk is found in fish that are caught in near-shore coastal waters, estuaries, fresh water and possibly those caught near aquaculture operations.

Oil

Crude oil that leaks into the ocean has been found to contain elevated levels of at least 6 toxic chemicals. These chemicals have been linked to health concerns, specifically kidney damage and cancer. Studies have found elevated levels of crude oil present in some types of seafood.

Arsenic

Arsenics is an element that is found naturally in soil and minerals. It is a very common element that is widely distributed and therefore, often shows up in seafood. Seafood is one of the main factors that leads to arsenic consumption in the diet. Arsenic, though natural, is toxic. Even very low levels of arsenic in the body can lead to the development of numerous health problems. If arsenic reaches high levels in the body, it can be fatal.

Melamine

Melamine is an industrial chemical that is found in plastics and fertilizers. Recent reports state that manufacturers of fish feed in China regularly add melamine to the feed. The chemical accumulated in the fish that consume the contaminated fish feed. Currently, there are no guidelines from the Food and Drug Administration that require testing for melamine in imported seafood.

BMAA

BMAA (beta-Methylamino-L-alanine) is a compound that comes from blue-green algae known as cyanobacteria. This type of bacteria is found in the ocean, lakes and soil. When fish and other aquatic creatures consume BMAA, it accumulates in their bodies. This results in contaminated seafood.

Why Are These Toxins Dangerous

All of these toxins can lead to varying degrees of illness and health conditions. Health problems that can develop as a result of consuming marine toxins range from mild to life-threatening. Paralytic shellfish poisoning, neurotoxic shellfish poisoning and amnesic shellfish poisoning are the most common immediate diseases that occur in individuals who consume tainted seafood.

The effects of cyanobacteria in seafood are currently being studied, and researchers are investigating the possible link between consumption of seafood tainted with this bacteria and the development of ALS (commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease). Scientists also suspect that seafood contaminated with these bacteria may also play a role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and other neurological disorders in some individuals.

PCB’s are known carcinogens that were banned in America in 1976 because of their cancer-causing abilities. They are at the top of the current, dirty dozen list of toxic chemicals.

Dioxins are believed to be one of the worst toxins found in seafood. A known carcinogen, dioxins are known to cause cancer, impairment of the immune system, birth defects, endocrine disorders and learning disabilities.

Is There Treatment for Toxic Seafood Diseases

Once a diagnosis of marine toxin poisoning is confirmed, treatment can begin. Diagnosis requires an evaluation of symptoms together with a recent history of seafood consumption. Occasionally, laboratory tests will be required to check for the presence of specific toxins in the blood. Leftover pieces of seafood can also be tested for the presence of the toxin.

For shellfish poisoning, the only type of treatment currently available is supportive care to ease symptoms and speed recovery. The use of antihistamines and epinephrine can help control allergic-type reactions for certain types of shellfish poisoning.

How Common Are Toxic Seafood Diseases

An estimated 30 cases of seafood poisoning as a result of marine toxins are reported annually in the United States. The number of actual cases is likely much higher, as health care providers are not required to report this type of illness. Additionally, individuals with mild cases may not seek medical treatment. There is currently no database to track the number of individuals suffering from long-term effects of seafood toxins such as cancer and other serious health conditions.

What Can You Do?

Any time seafood is consumed, there is a chance that the seafood may be contaminated with marine toxins. Any individual who consumes seafood has the risk of becoming ill due to eating toxic shellfish. Individuals who have a compromised immune system are more susceptible to shellfish poisoning. However, even individuals in good health should be concerned about the health risks associated with consuming seafood that contains high levels of toxins. General guidelines for decreasing your risk of consuming contaminated seafood include:

• Place seafood on ice or keep it refrigerated to prevent spoilage
• Refrain from eating barracuda
• Watch for health advisories issued by local government officials about toxic seafood
• Refrain from eating shellfish that is sold as bait
• Inform your local public health department if you or anyone in your family becomes ill as a result of seafood poisoning or marine toxins

Sources:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• University of California, Davis
• Environmental Working Group
• MSNBC: Today – Health
• Discover Magazine

http://www.symptomfind.com/health/marine-toxins-seafood/

Seafood 10,000 Times Over Safe Limit for Carcinogenic...

... Contamination, FDA Says to Eat it Anyway

Mike Barrett
NaturalSociety
December 23, 2011


Despite seafood showing extremely high levels of contamination, the FDA still deems the food safe for consumption. The FDA not only falsely softened the risk of seafood consumption due to carcinogenic contaminants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the seafood supply, but also ignored individual FDA staff members who called for higher levels of contamination protection.

The oil spill into the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 was one of the largest offshore oil spills in history. One recent study conducted by researchers at the Natural Resources Defense Council found that FDA Gulf seafood “safe levels” actually allowed 100 to 10,000 times more carcinogenic PAHs in seafood than what is safe. This move by the FDA is not only only irresponsible for environmental and human safety, but puts those who are more vulnerable at a higher risk, such as pregnant women and children.

FDA Says Yo Don’t Need to Remove Your Overly-Contaminated Seafood

Researchers who conducted the study, which was published in the top peer-reviewed environmental health journal Environmental Health Perspectives, found the information from snatched internal emails and unreleased assessments from the FDA under the Freedom of Information Act. The FDA argues that the reason they downplayed the risk is biased on the side of safety. The director of the FDA has been reported stating “overly conservative estimates would lead you [to] remove a great deal of food from our refrigerators and pantries than is needed”. Seeing as consuming highly contaminated seafood is completely opposite of safe, this kind of response of course suggests that the FDA’s decision had little to do with safety and was likely driven by political factors.

This wouldn’t be the first time that the FDA falsified or presented manipulated data. The agency also ignored the fact that mercury, an element that is highly toxic in all forms, was found in a large number of brand-name processed foods. But instead of addressing this major public health concern, the FDA decided to focus their time on crushing beneficial supplements through ridiculous NDI regulations that threaten the entire infrastructure of the nutraceuticals industry.

In addition, the Food and Drug Administration has known for years that asthma drugs actually kill more patients than asthma itself, but they simply ignored this information. Similarly, data indicates that through the combination of rays from the sun and ingredients found in sunscreen, the skin can be damaged so much that lesions and tumors can be the end result. But of course the US Food and Drug Administration has allegedly been aware of this critical information for the past ten years, but has done absolutely nothing to warn people about it.

Explore More:

1. Flu Shots Contain More than 250 Times the EPA’s Safety Limit for Mercury
2. ‘DNA Barcoding’ to Regulate Seafood Industry Through Genetic Scanning
3. Fraudulent Seafood | Are You Really Getting What You Think You Are?
4. FDA Claims Power to Seize Food Without Evidence of Contamination
5. Choose Between Carcinogenic Light Bulbs or Excessive Prices
6. This Type of Factory Produces 100 Times More Waste than the Entire US Population Combined

5 Fish You Should Never Eat

By David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding
Nov 14, 2011

If you’re over the age of 12, you’ve probably had more than a few dearly held beliefs ruined by reality. Like when you discovered it was Mom and Dad, not Santa, who were orchestrating the magic of Christmas. Or when you spent hours watching “Kim’s Fairytale Wedding” over and over again, only to learn that keeping up with this Kardashian was a waste of time. As they say, reality bites.

Well, folks, I hate to do this to you, but . . .

Not all fish are good for you.

Last year, the USDA increased its seafood recommendation to 8 ounces per week, and that has led many to believe that all fish are equally smart choices. But some are so high in contaminants like mercury that their health benefits are outweighed by their health risks. Others are flown in from halfway around the world, but given labels that make you think they were caught fresh earlier that morning. And still others are raised in filthy, overcrowed pools and loaded up with chemicals to keep them alive.

So let me shed light on some very rough waters. Put these fish at the top of your don't-eat list and you'll avoid most of the troubles of the world's fishing industry.


#1: ATLANTIC BLUEFIN TUNA

Why It's Bad: A recent analysis by The New York Times found that Atlantic bluefin tuna has the highest levels of mercury of any type of tuna. To top it off, bluefin tuna are severely overharvested, to the point of reaching near-extinction levels, and are considered "critically endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Rather than trying to navigate the ever-changing recommendations for which tuna is best, consider giving it up altogether. But if you can't . . .

Eat This Instead: Opt for American or Canadian (but not imported!) albacore tuna, which is caught while it's young and doesn't contain as high levels of mercury.

#2: ATLANTIC SALMON (Both Wild-caught and Farmed)  

Why It's Bad: It's actually illegal to capture wild Atlantic salmon because the fish stocks are so low, and they're low, in part, because of farmed salmon. Salmon farming is very polluting: Thousands of fish are crammed into pens, which leads to the growth of diseases and parasites that require antibiotics and pesticides. Often, the fish escape and compete with native fish for food, leading to declines in native populations.

Adding to our salmon woes, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is moving forward with approving genetically engineered salmon to be sold, unlabeled, to unsuspecting seafood lovers. That salmon would be farmed off the coast of Panama, and it's unclear how it would be labeled. Currently, all fish labeled "Atlantic salmon" come from fish farms. And, as you know if you follow me on Twitter, they're fed pellets that contain pink dye—that's how they get their color. Gross!

Eat This Instead: Opt for Wild Alaskan salmon.

#3: ATLANTIC FLATFISH

 

Why It's Bad: This group of fish includes flounder, sole, and halibut that are caught off the Atlantic coast. They found their way onto the list because of heavy contamination and overfishing that dates back to the 1800s. According to Food and Water Watch, populations of these fish are as low as 1 percent of what's necessary to be considered sustainable for long-term fishing.

Eat This Instead: Pacific halibut seems to be doing well, but the group also recommends replacing these fish with other mild-flavored white-fleshed fish, such as domestically farmed catfish or tilapia.



#4: IMPORTED KING CRAB

 
Why It's Bad: The biggest problem with imported crab is that most of it comes from Russia, where limits on fish harvests aren't strongly enforced. But this crab also suffers from something of an identity crisis: Imported king crab is often misnamed Alaskan king crab, because most people think that's the name of the crab. And supermarkets often add to the confusion by labeling imported king crab "Alaskan King Crab, Imported." But Alaskan king crab—crab that actually hails from the great state of Alaska—is a completely separate animal and is much more responsibly harvested than the imported stuff.

Eat This Instead: When you shop for king crab, whatever the label says, ask whether it comes from Alaska or if it's imported. Approximately 70 percent of the king crab sold in the U.S. is imported, so it's important to make that distinction and go domestic.


#5 IMPORTED SHRIMP


Why It's Bad: Imported shrimp actually holds the designation of being the dirtiest of all the seafood we looked at. (For our full list, check out 12 Fish You Should Never Eat.) Problem is, 90 percent of shrimp sold in the U.S. is imported. Imported farmed shrimp comes with a whole bevy of contaminants including antibiotics, residues from chemicals used to clean pens, E. coli, mouse hair, rat hair, and pieces of insects. Yum! Part of this has to do with the fact that less than 2 percent of all imported seafood (shrimp, crab, catfish, or others) gets inspected before its sold, which is why it's that much more important to buy domestic seafood.

Eat This Instead: Domestic shrimp. Seventy percent of domestic shrimp comes from the Gulf of Mexico, which relies heavily on shrimp for economic reasons. Pink shrimp from Oregon are another good choice; the fisheries there are certified under the stringent Marine Stewardship Council guidelines.

Additional reporting by Emily Main
http://health.yahoo.net/experts/eatthis/5-fish-you-should-throw-back?page=1