THE LOWDOWN ON SHRIMP LABELS
Americans love shrimp. Each of us eats, on average, almost 4 pounds per year, making shrimp more popular than tuna, according to Consumer Reports.
Once considered a special-occasion treat, shrimp has become so ubiquitous that we now expect to find it on the menu whether we’re at a pricey steak house or a fast-food joint.
In fact, Americans eat about three times more shrimp than we did 35 years ago. To satisfy our insatiable appetite, the U.S. has become a massive importer: About 94 percent of our shrimp supply comes from abroad, from countries such as India, Indonesia and Thailand.
But our love affair with shrimp does have a downside, Consumer Reports notes. Most of the shrimp we import is “farmed” — grown in huge industrial tanks or shallow, man-made ponds that can stretch for acres. In some cases, 150 shrimp can occupy a single square meter (roughly the size of a 60-inch flat-screen television) where they’re fed commercial pellets, sometimes containing antibiotics to ward off disease. If ponds aren’t carefully managed, a sludge of fecal matter, chemicals and excess food can build up and decay. Wastewater can be periodically discharged into nearby waterways. Those shrimp-farming practices raise a variety of concerns — not just about how safe shrimp are to eat, but also about the environmental damage of farming.
For shoppers, the dilemma starts at the grocery store, where it’s difficult to know what to buy. Labels and names can be confusing, meaningless or — worse — deceptive. Sellers may not always tell (or even know) the truth about the origins of the shrimp they offer. And the allure of a label proclaiming that shrimp are “natural” or “wild” can obscure the fact that some expensive varieties aren’t necessarily fresher or more flavorful.
THE LOWDOWN
ON SHRIMP LABELS
Here’s what to look for in labels. Consumer Reports believes that your best choice is responsibly caught U.S. wild shrimp, including those recommended by seafoodwatch.org.
n Marine Stewardship Council indicates that wild shrimp are caught using sustainable fishing practices. This can include outfitting nets with devices that allow other animals to escape.
n Aquaculture Stewardship Council indicates shrimp are raised without antibiotics and according to guidelines that protect the environment. This label also ensures that shrimp farms do not use forced labor. However, the guidelines permit the use of certain chemicals, including some pesticides, and don’t limit the number of shrimp in a pond.
n Naturland indicates that shrimp are farmed following guidelines that prohibit overstocking of shrimp ponds and the use of chemicals, including antibiotics, pesticides and disinfectants. Shrimp are fed food made of sustainably caught fishmeal, and farms do not use forced labor.
n Whole Foods Market Responsibly Farmed certifies that shrimp are raised in conditions that protect the environment, without antibiotics and with limited use of chemicals. But there’s no limit on the density of shrimp in ponds. This label is found only at Whole Foods Market stores.
DON’T TRUST
n Turtle Safe. This claim is not backed by a consistent set of standards.
n Natural. This term has no official definition for shrimp. Ignore it.
n Organic. There is no approved standard for organic seafood in the U.S.
n Sustainable. There is no regulated definition of “sustainable.” Any seller can make this claim.
n Environmentally Aware. An easy claim to make, but it’s not backed by a consistent set of standards to ensure that shrimp were sustainably caught or farmed.
n No Hormones. There is no government or official definition for this term on shrimp.
n No Antibiotics. On meat and poultry, this term means what it says, but when it comes to shrimp, the term is not defined by the Food and Drug Administration.