Photo: CN Digital Studio
Just last month the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the practice of DNA barcoding to more accurately identify seafood species. The simple technique functions similar to a grocery barcode scan and solves the dilemma of deciphering just which fish fillet you’re facing on your dinner plate.
The Associated Press reported this weekend that the technique is readying to go mainstream, as restaurants around the globe begin adapting the barcoding as a way to prevent seafood from being mislabled, which often leads to lesser-priced fish being sold for higher amounts. In addition to the cost factor, the technique also prevents any possible health-related issues resulting from the inaccurate labeling of fish and shellfish.
What’s your take on DNA-certified seafood?
I’m in favor of any strategy that makes food in the United States better, safer, healthier and/or more secure.
Unscrupulous vendors will apply a phony barcode as quickly as they will a misleading label. And I don’t own a portable barcode reader/scanner. So, it’s still down to dealing with people you can trust.
You mean, if I’ve ordered Red Snapper I might have gotten Tilapia? I am shocked, dismayed and bitterly disappointed. Have an FDA inspector tattoo every fish with the species barcode as it comes off every boat. That should create about 100,000 jobs at least. Retrain the postal workers who will be unemployed soon. Help the economy and gastronomy.
The only sane thought I can think of is this…if you order fish from a restaurant and they serve something other than what was ordered, for ANY reason, you’re in the wrong restaurant. How will you know, you won’t. It’s a conundrum. Not so sane after all. Don’t order the fish, ever.