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- <text id=92TT0175>
- <title>
- Jan. 27, 1992: American Notes:Food Safety
- </title>
- <history>
- TIME--The Weekly Newsmagazine--1992
- Jan. 27, 1992 Is Bill Clinton For Real?
- </history>
- <article>
- <source>Time Magazine</source>
- <hdr>
- NATION, Page 25
- American Notes
- FOOD SAFETY
- Troubled Waters
- </hdr><body>
- <p> There's something fishy about the U.S. seafood industry,
- according to a new study that will appear in the February issue
- of Consumer Reports magazine. The study, carried out by
- investigative reporter Trudy Lieberman, found widespread
- contamination and mislabeling of seafood in retail fish shops
- and supermarkets in New York City and Chicago. Of the 113 random
- samples of fish purchased in both cities, 29% were spoiled and
- 44% were contaminated with fecal bacteria; 40% of the swordfish
- samples had an impermissible level of mercury.
- </p>
- <p> The report gives ammunition to consumer advocates who
- argue for mandatory seafood inspection. At present, the handling
- of fish--as opposed to poultry and meat--is largely
- unregulated by the Federal Government. "The study is highly
- disturbing, because it further proves that contaminated seafood
- is readily making its way to consumers' plates," says Jodie
- Silverman of Public Voice for Food and Health Policy. But the
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration disputed Consumer Reports'
- findings, arguing that the sample is too small to be
- significant.
- </p>
-
- </body></article>
- </text>
-
-