Why is farm raised shrimp bad

There have been crackdowns on traffickers and seizures of imports and fishing vessels. In light of the AP investigation, Congress passed legislation banning the imports of seafood caught by forced labor in Southeast Asia, and more than 2, enslaved workers have been rescued.

Another issue associated with industrial shrimp farms is that they're unsanitary breeding grounds for bacteria that could make us sick, and antibiotic usage is common.

In its report, Consumer Reports tested samples of raw shrimp from grocery stores and found that 60 percent tested positive for at least one type of bacteria e. Of samples of raw imported farmed shrimp, 11 showed the presence of at least one antibiotic, and six had the antibiotic-resistant bacteria MRSA.

Certain antibiotics are allowed in aquaculture, but the FDA requires withdrawal periods and testing "to ensure that no drug residues are present before the fish is sold to consumers. The Consumer Reports report acknowledged that cooking generally kills bacteria and that "the small quantities of antibiotics found probably wouldn't affect a consumer's health.

As far as salmonella and other bacteria turning up in farmed shrimp, Gibbons says, "It's something that certainly bears looking at from a food safety standpoint. It's very difficult to say," Gibbons says.

A Food and Water Watch report points to the FDA's lack of resources to effectively monitor, inspect, and test all the imported seafood coming in.

The agency, which targets importers and processors it considers risky or who've had a history of violations, has fewer than imported seafood inspectors responsible for more than 5 billion pounds of seafood, and while the number of inspections has gone up in recent years, the inspection rate still is only around 2 percent, according to the analysis of FDA data by Food and Water Watch.

The industry also threatens the livelihood of U. Health problems Unsustainable practices by foreign shrimp farms jeopardize the health and food security of both the indigenous people in producer countries and of American consumers. Most industrial shrimp farms are so crowded and unsanitary that producers must use high levels of pesticides, antibiotics and other chemicals many of them are banned in the United States in order to prevent disease.

Residues of these toxins end up in the flesh of the shrimp, posing threats to consumer health. According to some reports, these chemicals may cause neurological problems, allergic reactions, infections, cancer and disease, and because the Food and Drug Administration inspects only about one percent of all seafood, consumers are likely eating contaminated shrimp. Chemicals are not, however, the only pollutants. Filth including dirt and rodent hair and rotten seafood are the leading reasons for the refusal of imported seafood products, and shrimp account for a disproportionately high percentage of refused shipments.

But before you let the unappetizing news about imported shrimp ruin your summer parties, remember there are several varieties from the United States and Canada that are safe, sustainable and tasty. To find the best wild caught shrimp on the market, stop by our page. June 18, Shawn Casadevall. Wild vs. Farmed Shrimp Their names indicate the difference between wild vs. The Price Differences The first hurdle in the wild vs. Quality Differences The second most important factor when choosing between wild-caught and farm raised shrimp is the quality of the product.

Choosing Your Shrimp Debating between wild vs. Wild vs Farmed Shrimp. Search for:. For more information on Wild American Shrimp, explore our website! For recipes, visit our Recipes page!

Follow us on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram and Pinterest! Recipe by Brad Williamson Ingredients: 1 lb. Have you ever eaten shrimp and noticed a thin black strip along their back? Shrimp vs.