More than Half of Seafood in Los Angeles Mislabeled

EMSL Analytical provides food authenticity testing to confirm food products are what they claim to be.
 
Cinnaminson, NJ, May 1st, 2012
 
Last month, the Los Angeles Times published the report, “Seafood in L.A. frequently mislabeled, group says.”  In the article DNA testing was conducted from seafood samples taken from over 70 retail establishments across the city.  119 samples were analyzed and the group performing the testing found that a staggering 55% were misidentified.  Amazingly, red snapper was misidentified 100% of the time. 
 
Interestingly, according to the article the highest incidence of seafood mislabeling occurred in L.A.’s sushi restaurants.  The article stated, “Oceana reported that 87% of the samples of 10 types of fish it took from 21 sushi eateries were not correctly identified.”
 
Consumer Reports also looked into the practice of mislabeling seafood in a report published in 2011.  According to their report, “Americans spent $80.2 billion on seafood last year, $5 billion more than in 2009, but they aren’t always buying what they think they are. More than one-fifth of 190 pieces of seafood we bought at retail stores and restaurants in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut were mislabeled as different species of fish, incompletely labeled, or misidentified by employees.”
 
One company that has been on the forefront of helping to confirm seafood is labeled properly is EMSL Analytical, Inc.  EMSL is a leading food testing laboratory that provides food authenticity testing services to the general public, regulators and the food industry. 
 
“Consumers are being cheated by mislabeled seafood products,” stated Joe Frasca, Senior Vice President, Marketing at EMSL Analytical.  “Fraudulent adulteration and mislabeling of food products may also be dangerous to consumers because of potential allergens and due to potential disease outbreaks.  EMSL’s food testing laboratory has the capability to test seafood utilizing DNA technologies for food authenticity to ensure products sold are what they claim to be.”
 
To learn more about DNA testing of food products, please visit www.FoodTestingLab.com or www.EMSL.com, call (800)220-3675 or email info@EMSL.com.
 
About EMSL Analytical, Inc.
EMSL Analytical is a nationally recognized and locally focused provider of environmental and materials testing services and products to professionals and the general public.  The company has an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies. 

Contact Information

Joe Frasca

Senior Vice President, Marketing

EMSL Analytical, Inc.

Contact via E-mail