Even when it’s a mistake, putting the wrong label on a food item can have grave consequences for both the business you work in and the industry you are a part of. California may be cracking down on this problem if a Senate bill ends up getting passed.
This legislation is Bill 1138, and would specifically target vendors of fish and shellfish and require them to display proper labeling for their products in order to avoid some of the substitutions that can occur when it comes to popular kinds of seafood. The law would require the common names of seafood to be featured prominently on labels, and would impact “fresh, frozen, or processed fish or shellfish, wild or farm raised.”
For a look at some of the kinds of mistakes that can be made when hunting for fish, one can turn to a list compiled by the advocacy group Oceana. This list shows some of the commonly found fish items and the species that are sold instead.
Red Snapper is used as a cover name for many species, including Nile Perch, Mahi Mahi, and Tilapia. Other swaps that occur include Mako Shark for Swordfish and several types for Atlantic Cod. It also notes that farmed salmon is passed off as being “wild” through a similar labeling discrepancy.
As we wait to see whether or not this measure is passed, companies need to make sure that they have the best high quality printing solutions, so the labels they make are up to date and easy to read. When they are made for products like seafood, they also need to be pressure sensitive so moisture will not ruin the contents of the label.
Leave a Reply