Being the largest island on the planet, the seafood industry plays a really important role in the Australian food industry. However, the ‘horse meat scandal’ in 2013 has set our society on high alert. How can we make sure where our seafood comes from?
The truth is no matter how hard food standard and authorities attempt to fix the repercussions of incorrect labelling, the problem continues to exist. In terms of seafood, misleading labels are used to meet increased demands – which takes away the work of honest fisherman and seafood traders. In this scenario, a different type of fish (normally of a cheaper variety) can be mixed in with premium types.
So what can be done? Fortunately, there has been many voluntary supply chain traceability schemes have been developed to ensure the integrity of seafood supply chains. The Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) Chain of Custody Standard is one such scheme, covering over 3000 seafood suppliers, distributors and processors across the world. It assures consumers that the MSC-labelled seafood they buy has been sourced legally from a sustainably managed source, has not been mixed with uncertified seafood and can be traced along the supply chain from ocean to plate.
Do you think this is an attainable goal? What things might you tweak to make labelling fraud an idea of the past?
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