Area grocers respond to consumers' concern
Inside the glass case at Schnucks seafood department, trays of fresh fish hold small white cards announcing the contents and their provenance like pieces of art.
"Yellowfin Tuna. Wild. Product of Indonesia" one reads. "Tilapia. Farm Raised. Product of Brazil" reads another. In a freezer a few steps away, the package on a salmon filet reads "Wild Caught. Product of China."
Three years ago none of that information would have been there. But in 2005 a new federal rule required that grocery stores provide "country of origin" labeling describing where seafood comes from and how it was raised.
The law came after consumers demanded to know the origins of their seafood, amid rising health and environmental concerns. Now, in the wake of recent seafood contamination scares from China, some are relying on the labels more than ever.
"People are definitely paying more attention to where their seafood comes from," said Rebecca Goldburg, a senior scientist with Environmental Defense Fund and an expert on seafood labeling. "... There's been all this attention on Asian imports, particularly Chinese imports."
Stores are starting to respond to customers, too, by shifting away from Chinese seafood.
"I think people really do care," said Barb Mepham, working behind the counter of Bob's Seafood in University City last week. "They'll say, 'Is it from China?' and if it is, they'll say no thanks."
Customers of Trader Joe's stores were so concerned about products from China that the company announced last year it would stop selling single-ingredient food items from China, including seafood, by 2008.
Schnucks said it doesn't track how much of its seafood comes from China, but has experienced a rise in customers' questions about it. Whole Foods Market said none of its current seafood comes from China, while Dierbergs says less than 5 percent of its seafood originates there.
"It's not my preferred source," said Nancy Wangles, director of seafood for Dierbergs.
The seafood industry became the first to adopt country-of-origin labeling, ahead of beef and other livestock industries, which are slated to do the same later this year, after much resistance.
Seafood importers and processors balked initially, too. But now they concede that labeling is just a cost of doing business.
"We didn't think it was necessary, because we didn't feel it really enhanced food safety," said Gavin Gibbons, of the National Fisheries Institute, an industry trade group. "With that said, all (our) members are 100 percent compliant. It's part of the industry now."
Inside the glass case at Schnucks seafood department, trays of fresh fish hold small white cards announcing the contents and their provenance like pieces of art.
"Yellowfin Tuna. Wild. Product of Indonesia" one reads. "Tilapia. Farm Raised. Product of Brazil" reads another. In a freezer a few steps away, the package on a salmon filet reads "Wild Caught. Product of China."
Three years ago none of that information would have been there. But in 2005 a new federal rule required that grocery stores provide "country of origin" labeling describing where seafood comes from and how it was raised.
The law came after consumers demanded to know the origins of their seafood, amid rising health and environmental concerns. Now, in the wake of recent seafood contamination scares from China, some are relying on the labels more than ever.
"People are definitely paying more attention to where their seafood comes from," said Rebecca Goldburg, a senior scientist with Environmental Defense Fund and an expert on seafood labeling. "... There's been all this attention on Asian imports, particularly Chinese imports."
Stores are starting to respond to customers, too, by shifting away from Chinese seafood.
"I think people really do care," said Barb Mepham, working behind the counter of Bob's Seafood in University City last week. "They'll say, 'Is it from China?' and if it is, they'll say no thanks."
Customers of Trader Joe's stores were so concerned about products from China that the company announced last year it would stop selling single-ingredient food items from China, including seafood, by 2008.
Schnucks said it doesn't track how much of its seafood comes from China, but has experienced a rise in customers' questions about it. Whole Foods Market said none of its current seafood comes from China, while Dierbergs says less than 5 percent of its seafood originates there.
"It's not my preferred source," said Nancy Wangles, director of seafood for Dierbergs.
The seafood industry became the first to adopt country-of-origin labeling, ahead of beef and other livestock industries, which are slated to do the same later this year, after much resistance.
Seafood importers and processors balked initially, too. But now they concede that labeling is just a cost of doing business.
"We didn't think it was necessary, because we didn't feel it really enhanced food safety," said Gavin Gibbons, of the National Fisheries Institute, an industry trade group. "With that said, all (our) members are 100 percent compliant. It's part of the industry now."
