LIHU‘E — Sometimes what looks like a fresh ahi fillet could have been once a brown, nearly spoiled fish cut brought back to market thanks to an ingenious process commonly used in Hawai‘i. Senate Bill 724, currently in the state
LIHU‘E — Sometimes what looks like a fresh ahi fillet could have been once a brown, nearly spoiled fish cut brought back to market thanks to an ingenious process commonly used in Hawai‘i.
Senate Bill 724, currently in the state Legislature, seeks to change that, prohibiting the sale of raw fish treated with carbon monoxide to preserve color and texture, giving it a fresh appearance.
Fish treated with CO is considered safe by the FDA for human consumption. But treating fish with CO — a highly toxic gas when inhaled — could be a cunning gimmick, enticing customers to buy fish that looks deceptively fresh. And what’s worse: the bright red coloring could be masking a spoiled fish.
CO, a clear, tasteless and odorless gas, is present in low levels in the bloodstream of animals. When the gas attaches to the hemoglobin, a molecule present in red blood cells, the end-product is a bright red coloration.
Even a fish cut that has turned brown could be brought back to a bright red color after being treated with CO.
The bill would amend a law that prohibits treating fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, honey and coffee with CO. Besides fish, the law currently allows red meat to be treated with CO.
Ahi is not the only fish to receive CO treatment. The gas is applied to a variety of seafood, and usually fish coming from Asian markets represent the majority of the CO-treated seafood entering the U.S. market. Ecuador also sells to the U.S. a variety of seafood that has been treated.
A study released in 2003 at the Trans-Atlantic Fisheries Technology Conference stated that the primary driver of CO-treated seafood is the U.S. market, because of its acceptance of CO treated food, regulatory allowances and the necessities for frozen products.
The study from the Food Science and Human Nutrition Department at the University of Florida stated that although “recent human feeding trials have demonstrated that CO-treated fish do not pose a health threat, elevated histamine levels are possible in certain thermally abused CO-treated species that are otherwise apparently fresh.”
A Congressional Research Service published in 2008, and prepared for the U.S. Congress, also said ahi may develop toxic histamine levels through time and/or temperature abuse, leading to illness.
The CRS document said consumers rely primarily on appearance, including red color of meat or fish, when choosing which package to purchase, and alternatively rely on “sell by” dates.
The document also says opponents of CO-treated foods allege the use of CO misleads consumers and increases the risk of consuming undercooked meat because CO-treated food may brown faster when cooked.
Consumer groups and scientists said CO foods provide a cover for spoiled or “temperature abused” meat and fish: The use of CO conceals visual cues of decomposition caused partially by changes in temperature, storage or transport at improper temperatures.
However, the same document says that meat industry professionals, some scientists and other supporters of C0-treated foods argue that the process of packaging food with CO reduces shrinkage of the meat, allows for longer shelf life, keeps the food fresher and prevents cross-contamination.
One scientist mentioned in the CRS said that CO-treated foods have better flavor, tenderness and suppression of bacterial growth.
The Lance Armstrong Foundation warns on its website, www.livestrong.com, that consumers should beware of brightly-colored fish that still smells and feels spoiled.
The foundation said ahi turns chocolate colored when spoiled, but spraying it with CO solution can turn it bright red again, making it difficult to determine if it’s spoiled.
Japan and Canada have banned the use of CO to brighten up discolored fish, according to the foundation, but U.S. retailers often buy pre-treated fish from Southeast Asian suppliers.
SB 724 on Jan. 24 passed first reading and was referred to the Agriculture and Judiciary and Labor committees. On Jan. 26 the bill was referred to the Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee, and re-referred to the Judiciary and Labor Committee.
• Léo Azambuja, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or lazambuja@kauaipubco.com.
LIHU‘E — Is the fish sold on Kaua‘i treated with carbonmonoxide? Yes and no. Local markets sell fresh and frozenCO-treated fish.
The major distinction between fresh and frozen fish, besides thecolor, is the price. But at least one of the local markets wasselling fresh fish cheaper than any CO-treated fish.
Bob Kubota, manager at Pono Market, in Kapa‘a, said the storedoesn’t run a fish market anymore. It does sell a popular ahi pokeprepared with fish from the Philippines.
“I’m pretty sure it’s treated (with C0),” said Kubota, adding thatthe regulations only mandate that he has to disclose that the fishwas previously frozen.
Kubota seemed surprised that the Legislature was trying to banCO-treated fish in Hawai‘i.
“They’re trying to cut back on fish too,” said Kubota, referring toa proposed cap on ahi fishing.
The manager of The Fish Express, in Lihu‘e, said they mostly sellfresh fish. When the supplies are low, they buy frozen fish,usually from Southeast Asia. The law, he said, only mandates todisclose that it’s fresh fish.
However, the three major supermarkets on Kaua‘i disclose the ahithey sell is treated with CO.
The Big Save store in Kapa‘a sells ahi poke and ahi fillet madewith CO-treated ahi from the Philippines. The store discloses itabove the displayed product, although the disclosure is not verynoticeable.
Safeway, in Waipouli, sells Indonesian farm-raised yellow fin tuna“preserved with tasteless smoke to promote color retention.” Nextto it, “wild” ahi tuna steaks sell for almost twice the price ofthe frozen ahi. The distinction between both fish steaks isnoticeable. CO-treated ahi has a pinkish and orange color, whilethe fresh fish has a vibrant ruby red hue.
Safeway also sells Atlantic salmon, farm raised in Canada andprocessed in the U.S. The packaging says color added, but doesn’tspecify the process.
Next to the Canadian Salmon, consumers can find Ecuadorianfarm-raised tilapia, previously frozen. It does not say if it’streated with CO.
The Waipouli branch of Foodland sells a variety of ahi poke madewith “ahi treated with carbon monoxide as a preservative to colorretention.” It’s not clear if the fish was previously frozen.
As a general rule, the price of fresh fish is higher than frozenfish. But the rule isn’t set on stone.
The “wild” ahi steaks at Safeway sold for $18.99 a pound. AtFoodland it was slightly cheaper, selling at $13.99 a pound. ButFoodland also sold “ahi fresh chunk USA wild,” which werepre-packaged long cuts of over two pounds each, for $7.99 apound.
The CO-treated ahi steaks at Safeway and Big Save sold for $9.99 apound.
• Léo Azambuja, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252)or lazambuja@kauaipubco.com.
