Saving Seafood

Nutrition

Putting a Delicious Invasive Species on Your Plate

July 27, 2020 — Go for a dive anywhere in the tropical Atlantic and chances are you may see a fierce looking white and red striped fish with a “mane” of spikes running down its spine. Beautiful and ferocious, invasive lionfish have plagued the Caribbean and parts of the Atlantic for over 30 years now. Originally a native of the Indian Ocean, lionfish are carnivorous creatures with a voracious appetite. In the time since their arrival in the American tropics, they have eaten through small native fish species and multiplied exponentially, reducing native reef fish recruitment up to 79% and establishing themselves as the king of the reef. However, not all hope is lost — it turns out they are quite tasty!

Supported by NOAA’s “Eat Lionfish” campaign, divers, scientists and fisherman across the Caribbean and south-eastern U.S. Coast have started hunting lionfish to mitigate their harm to reef communities. In fact, many organizations have come together to support and improve the reef ecosystem by advocating for lionfish consumption. Free public access to scientific research on the ecological impacts and nutritional content of the fish, how-to methodology on how to properly catch and deal with the invaders and even recipes for cooking them have become readily available online to educate and encourage everyone involved in the sea-to-fork cycle: divers, fisherman, wholesalers, chefs and diners.

Read the full story at Medium

FDA beefs up food safety guidelines and announces plans to resume inspections

July 15, 2020 — The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) new food safety guidelines include utilizing technology to enhance traceability, responding more quickly to outbreaks, and other factors affecting the seafood industry.

This New Era of Smarter Food Safety blueprint represents a “new approach to food safety, leveraging technology and other tools to create a safer and more digital, traceable food system,” the agency said on its website.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Eating Fish May Protect the Brain From Pollutants

July 15, 2020 — Eating fish could help protect the brain against the detrimental effects of air pollution, a new study suggests.

Previous studies have shown that exposure to the smallest particles of air pollution, called PM 2.5, is associated with decreases in brain volume, which may increase the risk of memory and thinking problems as we age. This new study, published in Neurology, included 1,315 women ages 65 to 80 who underwent brain M.R.I. imaging to determine brain volume.

The participants filled out questionnaires on their fish consumption and had blood tests to determine their levels of omega-3s, the healthy unsaturated fatty acids found in fish. Using data from the Environmental Protection Agency, the researchers tracked three-year levels of air pollution at the women’s addresses.

Read the full story at The New York Times

Today’s DGAC Report Says Moms & Kids Need More Seafood

July 15, 2020 — The following was released by the Seafood Nutrition Partnership:

The 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) released its final scientific report that will serve as the foundation for the development of the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The DGAC final report, comprised of 835 pages, has positive findings for seafood consumption.

  •  Seafood consumption before pregnancy may be related to reduced risk of gestational diabetes and hypertensive disorders.
  • Consumption during pregnancy may be related to reduced risk of hypertensive disorders and preterm birth and better cognitive development and language and communication development in children.
  • Women who are lactating should continue to consume seafood at the same amounts recommended during pregnancy.
  • Provide good sources of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, such as seafood, beginning at ages 6 to 12 months, and prioritize seafood for toddlers ages 12 to 24 months.

Read the full release here

National Fisheries Institute Statement on the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Report

July 15, 2020 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

The National Fisheries Institute commends the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee for its work in submitting its Scientific Report to the Secretaries of Agriculture and Health and Human Services.

The Committee’s review of the science supports advice to eat 8-12 ounces of seafood weekly, particularly before, during and after pregnancy. The report highlights that only 20 percent of adults and 6 percent of children meet the goal of eating seafood twice per week.

The report notes a healthy diet should “provide good sources of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, such as seafood, beginning at ages 6 to 12 months.”

The report is one more piece of evidence that Americans of all ages should eat seafood more frequently. As part of a healthy dietary pattern, seafood offers a lifetime of benefits from brain development among babies to heart health and a healthy weight for adults. The report even notes the link between diet-related diseases –which regular seafood consumption can help prevent – and increased susceptibility to the current global pandemic.

It will be vital that the final Guidelines use simple, consistent language to communicate actionable recommendations that result in increased seafood consumption, in order to realize the associated public health benefits.

Accredited nutrition experts like the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee continue to distinguish seafood as a food with benefits for all ages.

National Fisheries Institute Statement on the FDA’s Smarter Food Safety Blueprint

July 14, 2020 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

Yesterday’s announcement of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) New Era of Smarter Food Safety blueprint demonstrates how the agency plans to rapidly evolve its regulatory approach in an age of unprecedented technological advancement.

Forecasting unique demands on the future value chain will help FDA identify and whenever possible neutralize challenges. In just the past few months, the seafood market has changed and the seafood community and FDA have worked to keep our food supply safe with a rigorous yet flexible approach.

We are pleased to see the Trump Administration embracing a food safety framework for the future that is both smart and safe.

New research reveals surprising differences between salmon species — helping consumers decide which ones to serve for dinner

July 9, 2020 — It is well known that salmon provides a range of valuable nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids and protein. But it can be confusing for consumers to know which species offers the highest level of nutrition when they are faced with several different types of salmon at the grocery store.

There are also mixed messages when it comes to farmed salmon, with some people believing it may contain contaminants and is not as nutritious as wild-caught fish.

Consumers can’t look to labels for clarity since nutritional information is not required on seafood packaging in Canada and the United States.

Stefanie Colombo, an assistant professor of Aquaculture at Dalhousie University’s Agriculture Campus, wanted to shed some light on the murky area by exploring the nutritional differences between salmon. Her research, published recently in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Research, produced some surprising findings she hopes may dispel misunderstandings about farmed salmon.

“I get a lot of questions from people I meet about farmed salmon and many people have the idea that it’s not good for you, that it’s full of fat and contaminants,” says Dr. Colombo, who also holds the Canada Research Chair in Aquaculture Nutrition. “I knew these were misconceptions, but I wanted to know how it compared to the other types of salmon that were out there.

Read the full story at Dal News

National Fisheries Institute Statement on the Safety of Seafood from the United States

June 22, 2020 — The following was released by the National Fisheries Institute:

Seafood from America is safe.  The World Health Organization, United National Food and Agriculture Organization, and all major national food safety agencies report there is no connection between seafood and COVID-19.  Simply stated, people cannot get COVID-19 from eating seafood.  Specific to imported seafood that Chinese families enjoy, experts at the Chinese National Health Commission stated, “There’s no evidence so far showing salmon are the origin or intermediate hosts of the coronavirus.”

Consumers in China and in other countries should be aware that seafood portioned and prepared in America must comply with the rules and regulations of the United States Food and Drug Administration to ensure safe food.  Importantly, the systems that seafood companies in the United States have implemented for more than 20 years now serve as a model for other countries and foods.  Companies must also keep their workers safe by following the directives of the United States’ Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
 
Since the onset of COVID-19, members of the National Fisheries Institute, the major seafood trade association in the United States and many of whose members export American seafood to China, have also implemented the laws of numerous states, and the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, industry  best practices, CODEX Alimentarius, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, and the World Health Organization, and the recommendations of academics and other public health experts. 
 
NFI member companies have strict protocols in place to prevent, detect, and isolate any spread of COVID-19 on their boats or in their processing plants, and follow sanitary transport rules to prevent contamination of seafood being exported to China.  American seafood remains safe and healthy for Chinese families.

Sustainable Seafood Could Feed A Billion People A Day, Says Oceana

June 10, 2020 — It might come as a surprise to hear that Oceana, the world’s largest international advocacy organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation, would be advocating for seafood consumption, especially given that overfishing is a major driver in the decline of ocean wildlife populations. But while overfishing has caused a decline in 34.2% of the world’s fish stocks, potentially leading to the depletion of a quarter of all fish by the end of the century, sustainable fisheries, on the other hand, are beneficial for fish populations, the environment and people.

The premise of sustainable fisheries lies in the belief that fishing practices that adapt to the reproductive rate of fish and maintain the health and productivity of wild fish stocks are not only critical to the sustainable growth of fish species, but also to the health of the surrounding marine ecosystem, coastal communities and the planet.

“Seafood eaters who choose sustainably managed wild seafood can feel good about their choice,” says Jacqueline Savitz, Chief Policy Officer at Oceana. “A healthy, fully restored ocean could feed a billion people a seafood meal every day, forever.”

Read the full story at Forbes

Stanford experts highlight oceans’ role in solving food insecurity

June 3, 2020 — A key to solving global hunger – which is predicted to intensify during the COVID-19 pandemic – may lie in the ocean. In fact, the ocean could produce up to 75 percent more seafood than it does today, and drive sustainable economic growth, according to Stanford’s Rosamond Naylor and Jim Leape.

Stanford Report spoke with Leape, co-director of Stanford’s Center for Ocean Solutions, and Naylor, the William Wrigley Professor in Earth System Science, about how global food policies can better integrate “blue foods” from marine and freshwater systems, how to address gaps in current thinking, and what world leaders can do to create a healthier, more sustainable food system.

The researchers are part of a major global initiative called the Blue Food Assessment, which is the first comprehensive review of aquatic foods and their roles in the global food system. Naylor will discuss the initiative on June 3 at the Virtual Ocean Dialogues, an online gathering of business, government and public sector leaders who are invested in creating a more resilient ocean.

Read the full story at Stanford News