FDA Expresses concerns about ciguatera in lion fish

[TwoBitTxn]

Something to consider if you like eating lion fish.



Eat lionfish? Sure, but beware of the nasty toxins - Vitals

 

[dumpsterDiver]

What a crappy article. One side says Ok the other side says the level is too high. The critical important piece of information is: How does the frequency of occurance of the toxin and the concentration of the toxin compare with other commercially harvested fish from the same area, such as jacks, grouper and snapper. Apparently, we as a society have accepted the risk from many of these large predators and happily eat them...So.. how does this "acceptable" risk compare to the lionfish risk?

With all the money and effort put forth to pushlionfish consumption, somebody better figure this out.

 

[danvolker]

Something to consider if you like eating lion fish.



Eat lionfish? Sure, but beware of the nasty toxins - Vitals

My understanding is that ciguatera is a danger on some reefs, and some areas, and not in others....It has rarely been a problem in Palm Beach for most species ( possibly excepting barricuda, which tend to run very high for the toxin..but then I doubt they have been tested in Palm Beach either). I think the worst area for the poisening I have heard of was Turks and Caicos....maybe DD remembers the big episode of ciguatera that happened about 12 years ago or so with a boat load of fish that was sold to our local restaurants, but that was from Turks and Caicos, not local fish....this had close to 100 sick people....if I remember correctly.


I would be inclined to say the FDA does not have a clue whether the toxin is a problem in Palm Beach or Lauderdale, or the Bahamas off a specific island. They are one of the most corrupt agencies in America, and if they don't like something, it might be that their science was bad, it might be that the product really was bad, or it might be that someone paying them big money wanted them to show the product as bad.

When they outlaw Coca Cola and Gatorade for having so much sugar that they are likely to cause Arthritis, Heart Disease, and of course, diabetes and obesity, then I might start thinking kinder thoughts about the FDA. For now, they are owned by large food lobbies and pharmaceutical lobbies....they are a Fox watching a henhouse.