Sushi’s Fake Tuna Problem
Almost all the tuna you’ve eaten is probably fake and dyed with carbon monoxide
Tuna is one of the world’s most popular fish. It’s eaten across the world and frequently consumed as tuna steaks patties and from tins, but most famously as sushi. Whether it’s maki or sashimi, the US’s love affair with sushi translates in to a $22 billion a year industry. Tuna, as one of the most popular fish on the menu contributes significantly to this industry. Unfortunately, 74% of tuna served in sushi restaurants isn’t tuna. What’s more, it’s probably been dyed with carbon monoxide.
Oceana Study
In 2013, a non-profit called Oceana, conducted a simple study. Their study covered a broad range of fish, but the main revelation was about tuna, which the study found was rarely what it said it was. Surprisingly, grocery stores performed the best, with 82% of their products labelled correctly. Restaurants that served sushi among other things had a success rate of 62%. But restaurants that sold sushi exclusively had a success rate of as little as 26%. Tuna, for a variety of reasons, remains on of the most commonly mis-labelled fish in world.
