The U.S. has been the biggest importer of seafood in the last decade with an amount of more than 17.6 million tons. According to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) says that only 2% of imported seafood is inspected and only 0.1 % is tested for prohibited drugs residue. Thus, the dirty infected marine products are finding a way to enter the American market. This is not safe for the population’s health as stated by the government, officials and other food safety experts.
Mr. Siobhan Delancey (FDA spokeswoman) said the firm is trying its best to ensure the safety of imported seafood. A modern method of proceeding which is known as “preventative controls” is being used and it includes the reviewing of company’s safety plans. Documentations clearly show how food operators deal with safety procedures. The experts state that the volume of imports is considerable that it is not wise to rely only on the surveillance at the border. The microbiologist Michael Doyle said that analysis would improve if the FDA would have the manpower to inspect all the shipments.
For the past decade, tuna, salmon and shrimp are the 3 most imported seafood in the U.S. The major part of which are farm- raised in Indonesia, Vietnam, china and Thailand. The quality of food used to feed the shrimps and tilapia in china and Thailand are human waste and untreated animal compost.
The question which is raised is how safe the nation’s food is and the answer is complicated, said a 27 year old journalist who spent 10 weeks this summer, gathering and interviewing experts from almost everywhere across the country.
It was found that each year in the U.S. 48 million of people suffer from food borne illnesses, 128, 000 required hospitalization and 3000 died. The U.S. Food and Drugs Administration anticipate that 24 million products will enter the country in 2011 and only 1.59% of them will be inspected.
