PrintThe True Cost of Shrimp
Has anyone read the article "The True Cost of Shrimp" from the Solidarity Center? Gourmet.com mentioned it and I'm half-way through. Pretty startling. Makes me want to not eat shrimp unless I'm sure of where it comes from---even at restaurants. What do people think: is it rude to ask your waiter to find out who supplies the restaurants shrimp before you order it?
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12 Comments:
These days, I don't think it's rude to ask any waitperson at any restaurant the origin of the ingredients. People are squeaming about eating stuff from China and other less-than-diligent countries.
Your safety is worth a moment's discomfort - and if the waitperson is smart, he or she will simply answer you and not make you feel like you just challenged him or her to a duel.
chiff0nade at 10:21AM on 05/03/08
So off-topic, but sweet goodness chiff0nade, is squeam a verb? Can I use it? I love it.
Back on topic, it bugs the hell out of me when I go to grocery shop and the seafood (fresh and frozen) is full of farmed shrimp from Asia. I know Austin is inland but the Gulf is 5 hours away.
This is another instance where the Monterey Bay wallet guide would be helpful. Farmed shrimp is no good (although I didn't know it was quite that bad). I will never have even a twinge of temptation from the--only slightly--lower price again.
renzata at 10:33AM on 05/03/08
Oh and yes I think it's aceptable to ask about the origins of your food, especially of shrimp/animal protein, and especially at a nice restaurant. The second question is, is it easier to let it slide when you're eating out than when you're at home? Example, I ate a Sourdough Jack the other day, even though when I'm at the store or market, I am committed to buying humanely raised pork and beef now. I didn't ask the drive-thru lady the origin of the bacon on my burger, but I'm fairly sure I didn't need to.
renzata at 10:37AM on 05/03/08
From squeamish to squeaming (like squirming and screaming at the same time - how appropos!). Love it chiff!!!
And renzata - wear your New York elbows (on another post). Never heard it before, but again, so on point and more than visual - I can almost feel theirs and mine. Yuze guys are making my day! ;-)
PerkyMac at 10:44AM on 05/03/08
oops - it went through before I finished. On topic, I love shrimp and I'm afraid to buy it and order it anymore. It is so hard to find any safe seafood and everything is suspect. Would I ask? Damn right. How many times do you think they'd tell you what you want to hear? Who can you trust?
PerkyMac at 10:51AM on 05/03/08
apropos..........sheesh.
PerkyMac at 10:57AM on 05/03/08
That's what happens when words crash together in my head... I meant "squeamish" but hey, I'm all for a serendipitous discovery of new verbiage!
chiff0nade at 12:32PM on 05/03/08
heh, heh, heh... verbiage... squeaming... new VERBiage... I get it!
LoCo at 12:49PM on 05/03/08
As more people begin asking the origins of seafood/meat/etc and then refusing to order it if it's from a controversial source, it will begin to enter the psyche of the business owner (whose psyche is primarily driven by the bottom line). Then the business owner will ask their purveyor for alternate sources/product. And so on.
We've heard it before, vote with your wallets.
wookie at 2:16PM on 05/03/08
@wookie: So true. You've made my mind up for me---I'll always ask.
@renzata: Thankfully, I've successfully weaned myself off of any food chains where I wouldn't even need to ask where their food comes from because I know the answer is bad. It was pretty hard to stop ever going to a Burger King or something for the every-once in a while taste. It's such a guilty pleasure right?
caviarandcodfish at 6:14PM on 05/03/08
Caviarandcodfish, It's great that you are taking the time to read the Solidarity Center report--it is so important that consumers like you learn the truth about their food so they can make informed choices!
When you finish reading the SC report, you might want to check out www.shrimpless.wordpress.com, a blog that specifically addresses not only the human rights abuses associated with imported shrimp, but the environmental and health costs as well. The blog is a project of the Mangrove Action Project (www.mangroveactionproject.org), and is intended to educate consumers about the widespread destruction caused by industrial shrimp production.
Did you know, for example, that shrimp farming is the #1 threat to mangrove forests? Mangroves are coastal wetlands that act as nurseries for many fish and other aquatic species, protect coastlines from erosion and storm damage, provide sustenance and resources to coastal communities, and prevent global warming by absorbing carbon dioxide.
The shrimp produced is mostly exported to the U.S., and it could be posing a risk to consumer health due to residues from antibiotics and pesticides. Did you know that the FDA inspects less than 2% of imported seafood, so it is likely that contaminated seafood is reaching our plates?
So...here is what you can do:
1)ALWAYS ASK about the origin of your seafood.
2) ALWAYS AVOID IMPORTED FARMED SHRIMP
3) Choose domestic and sustainably-harvested varieties of shrimp
4) Reduce your overall consumption of shrimp, as there is simply not enough to feed the growing demand!
sugarandspice at 12:44AM on 05/05/08
After reading this threat and the article, I went home and checked the expensive, Whole Foods shrimp I had in my freezer - sure enough, farmed in Thailand. It was pretty hidden on the package, but I found it. On friday, my friend and I were grocery shopping, and we asked the guy at the seafood counter where the shrimp was from - it was ALL from Thailand. We managed to find one package that was made in the US, the Emerill brand. Absolutely ask ask ask, you should always be aware of where your food comes from.
embolini9 at 10:32AM on 05/14/08