FOOD NEWS
The Sushi You Love Might Not Be What You Think It Is
By Elias Nash
People are willing to spend a great deal of money on sushi, purposefully avoiding bargains because consuming cheap fish is associated with various health issues; however, those prices aren't always justified. Disturbingly, seafood is commonly subject to food fraud, and the fish in your sushi might not be what you think it is.
The conservation group Oceana conducted DNA testing on seafood samples from 118 sushi bars surveyed and determined that 95% of them sold mislabeled fish in some form. Paul Barber, who authored a UCLA study on the topic, said, "The amount of mislabeling is so high and consistent, one has to think that even the restaurants are being duped."
The most innocuous example of mislabeling is salmon, but be aware that sushi salmon labeled as wild often comes from a farm and would typically sell for less. Oceana’s tests indicated that 92% of snapper is mislabeled and is really another fish like tilapia or rockfish, and white tuna is often swapped for a fish called escolar, which can cause gastrointestinal problems.