08-30-2013, 08:19 PM
[#0000FF]Tough for the consumers to know and understand what is real and what is not...and what is really harmful and should be avoided. Too many different entities involved in testing and setting standards.
I had a personal taste of the vicissitudes of testing and standards. When I lived in Santa Barbara, CA many long years ago I often worked on a friend's swordfish boat during the season when there were broadbills in nearby waters. We did the harpoon and float thing rather than longlining. Tough and dangerous but fun and financially rewarding.
On one trip back in to the dock, after scoring about nine big swordfish in a 3 day trip, we were met at the dock by some federal regulators. They very harshly told us to keep our fish and not to try to sell them anywhere. There had been some testing and the swordfish in local waters were found to be above "safe" levels in mercury. So, we had to dump several hundred pounds of prime swordfish and go without a paycheck. It ultimately cost my friend the loss of his boat.
The rest of the story? About a year later the ban was lifted...or the "safe" levels raised...because testing on some swordfish samples preserved from the 1800's had shown even higher levels of mercury from that time. Since people were not dying or glowing in the dark from eating swordfish it was assumed that it was okay.
Personally, I am happy that there is someone doing the checking. Much better than getting a diagnosis from your doctor that you have something incurable as a result of eating too much of something that you shouldn't have.
Of course that does not always stop people from smoking...even after getting emphysema or lung cancer. And folks who develop cirrhosis of the liver from excess alcohol consumption often continue abusing that stuff until their expiration date. But that's a whole 'nother story.
[/#0000FF]
[signature]
I had a personal taste of the vicissitudes of testing and standards. When I lived in Santa Barbara, CA many long years ago I often worked on a friend's swordfish boat during the season when there were broadbills in nearby waters. We did the harpoon and float thing rather than longlining. Tough and dangerous but fun and financially rewarding.
On one trip back in to the dock, after scoring about nine big swordfish in a 3 day trip, we were met at the dock by some federal regulators. They very harshly told us to keep our fish and not to try to sell them anywhere. There had been some testing and the swordfish in local waters were found to be above "safe" levels in mercury. So, we had to dump several hundred pounds of prime swordfish and go without a paycheck. It ultimately cost my friend the loss of his boat.
The rest of the story? About a year later the ban was lifted...or the "safe" levels raised...because testing on some swordfish samples preserved from the 1800's had shown even higher levels of mercury from that time. Since people were not dying or glowing in the dark from eating swordfish it was assumed that it was okay.
Personally, I am happy that there is someone doing the checking. Much better than getting a diagnosis from your doctor that you have something incurable as a result of eating too much of something that you shouldn't have.
Of course that does not always stop people from smoking...even after getting emphysema or lung cancer. And folks who develop cirrhosis of the liver from excess alcohol consumption often continue abusing that stuff until their expiration date. But that's a whole 'nother story.
[/#0000FF]
[signature]