Editorial sparks comments on cheating examples

Our editorial yesterday on how the Melamine scam was the tip of the iceberg in terms of cheating brought a lot of comments and phone calls.

A number of people had examples of what we are talking about -- not just from the Chinese. Here are some of the comments:

I have been in plants and witnessed the soaking of shrimp with Tri-poly then followed the shrimp to packaging. Label stated shrimp and salt. When I asked why Tri-Poly was not labeled I was told the buyer did not want it on. For the most part these buyers are importers

And

We certainly can point fingers at what is going on in China and other parts of the world, but we must realize that the majority of abuse on seafood is being perpetrated by our domestic packers as well.

Before we start pointing fingers at foreign packer we should start to clean our own house first. Where is the policing of our own domestic packers. 25% water added product on scallops is a joke. Most if not all scallop packers in New Bedford are adding significantly more water than the 25%. With no one watching or enforcing the abuse is rampant.

And

we are selling, Cod, Squid, Salmon and a variety of other items where we directly compete against foreign produced and processed products. The species substitutions, short weights, water added and over glazing are killing us.

It is time that the enforcement agencies of this country actually enforce the law. It is also time that the food service distributors stop forcing the legitimate sellers to compete at the levels that the illegitimate sellers are at in price with their substandard products.

And

I'll give you an example with Dover Sole. We have always been 100% net weight, but with the recent run-up in the price due to the Euro, we have found it tougher and tougher to compete with people who sell 90% or 80% or less net weight.

And

I had a scallop supplier who all of a sudden started putting 4 1/2 pounds in a 5 lb. bag. When I complained, he said "I'm doing you a favor. All my other customers are getting 4 lbs., or even 3 1/2 lbs. and I'll give it to them if that's what they want.

The NFI economic integrity initiative may not be perfect -- but it is a good place to start. Many of those holding back say it won't work because it is voluntary, and there is no real enforcement mechanism. But I think the problems are so widespread, and the consequences for the health of the seafood industry so serious, that we have to start somewhere, and in this regard, NFI and John Connolly have stepped forward as leaders. It is time for much of the rest of the industry to join in.

Comments

[Bob Simon]

The problem of over soaked Scallops and under weight packaged Scallops goes as much to the distributor and end user as it does to the producer. Given the opportunity to buy honest Scallop Products (25% or less water added) and true stated net weight the "buyers" opt for price per pound or per case as their number one criteria for the decision.

It takes a genuinely inexperienced and Chef or naive consumer to not see over soaking and under weight packaging simply based upon the numnber of portions - servings after cooking. And it comes down to a simple solution:

Buy the "brand" that does not deceive you.

"Branding" is the solution to many such fraudulent issues - - especially weight that is so obvious to check / detect. If a "brand" of Scallops (or other seafood for that matter) does not provide you with what you beleive you purchased - - why buy that "brand" again ? Distributors and customers owe it to themselves to speak up when they buy and more so to look to other producers / brands.

As a producer of Scallops both "dry" (no water added) and processed (water added) I know that we value the integrity of our NOVA and SunWave brands. And why not? The best busuiness we can earn is repeat business.

[Lauren Miller]

I work with yet another company greatly concerned about false (or non-) labeling of additives.

I would like to talk with other members of the seafood industry who would like to address this issue more publicly, and I am also looking for information on how to better test products for additives.

If you share these interests, please contact me at lmiller@seafarefoods.com