Seafood has been a fishy trade for a long time. One issue is selling cheap varieties as expensive ones. An examples is pangasius offered as sole. You may say: I would be able to tell the difference. And so would I, if you see the whole fish. But once cut into pieces, would you still be able to differentiate the piece of pangasius from the piece of sole?
Several reports were issued about the extent of fish fraud, and Oceana reported 30% of mislabeled fish in the USA in 2013. FAO, in it’s own study from 2018 reported that in Vietnam, it is legal to add sodium tripolyphosphate in amounts that which result in up to 50% weight gain through the binding of water. In Europe that is not permitted.
The other issue is how to make old fish look fresh. If you have the whole fish, some traders have glued googly eyes onto the fish to make it look fresh, according to the BBC.
If you have only fish pieces, there are other tricks that can be used. Vegetable extract with a high concentration of nitrites is one option. If you have tuna and the flesh looks shiny red, it may have illegally been treated with carbon monoxide. Besides microbiological concerns when consuming old fish, there is the issue of high histamine levels, according to a European Commission report from the European Commission DG Health and Safety (April 2018): “Not only does this fraudulent practice mislead the consumer, who is led to believe that he is buying fresh tuna, but it can also lead to serious food poisoning, since illegally treated products may contain high amounts of histamine which can cause serious allergic reactions.”
And this is where our second device can help. Detecting histamine levels was previously predominantly performed in the laboratory. The main drawback is the time it takes to wait for the result. Now, the new device can be deployed on the spot, allowing traders to check if the fish they intend to buy is fresh. It also allows supermarkets to check incoming fish for freshness, and it allows food inspectors to test in the market halls and stores, getting the result within minutes.
Curious?
If you want to get the full story, attend our session “Food Fraud Goes Mobile” on Tuesday, September 10, 10:15-11:45, in the Grand Ballroom 2. For more information about the AOAC Annual Meeting and the link to register, click this link.
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