Radiation In Seafood? Los Angeles Vendors Weigh In

Good Morning America's Abbie Boudreau paid a visit to wholesale fishmonger International Marine Products in Downtown Los Angeles Thursday, where 10% of their seafood is imported from Japan. A representative from the wholesaler assured Boudreau that every single piece of fish was tested with a geiger counter before being sold to restaurants and supermarkets. The fish he tested on camera barely registered on the devicer, yet International Marine Products is also sending samples of their shipments to a private lab for further testing.

Still, not all retailers are as confident about imported seafood from Japan. In the same video segment, Good Morning America also visits Glendale's Fish King, where owner Jon Kagawa said, "For our own safety reasons, we feel we'll just temporarily discontinue the product."

The LA Times also reports that more seafood restaurants are fielding inquiries from concerned patrons about possible radiation contamination. Providence Chef and Co-Owner Michael Cimarusti told the LA Times that he wasn't worried about the issue because "About 90% of the fish we're serving is from Europe or the East Coast," and the rest has been tested independently. The LA Times also quotes a representative from True World Foods:

"There's nothing coming from that area, boats have been destroyed, fishermen are missing, the infrastructure of docks and waterfronts is gone, processing plants have been ruined. It's all gone. Nothing is coming from that area. And the FDA is testing every shipment we get from Japan. It has gone over and above what science would seem to indicate is warranted."

The FDA released a statement earlier this week saying that all imports from Japan, whether it be seafood, milk, vegetables, or fruits, will be "diverted for testing by FDA before they can enter the food supply."

Comments

[LF Drew]

07:43 PM on 04/08/2011

Yeah... I can't say that the rep for the fish wholesaler saying everything is A-okay is particularly reassuring.

[Uncle Bill]

04:41 PM on 04/07/2011

Before we settle into the comfort of "it can't happen here" we should at least learn examine the isotopic analysis of the radioactive water being pumped in huge quantities into the Pacific from the stricken TEPCO site.  Precisely what radioisotopes, in what quantity are needed to know what their effect on the food chain will be and what, if any, threat is posed to human health there is in Pacific seafood.

[gevan]

03:51 PM on 04/07/2011

Just wait till the tuna swim over here.