Striving4Zen

The problem is that all shrimp have not swum in the ocean – most are farm raised. This means that they since they are larvae, shrimp are placed in pools and confined for months until they are large enough to be sold. And just like conventional chickens, they are given antibiotics to ward off disease before they are taken away as tasteless versions of themselves (again, just like chickens their flavor is muted by the lack of exposure to their natural habitat).
And it gets worse ... 90% of shrimp sold in the US come from Southeast Asia or Latin America where environmental regulations leave much to be desired. The issue is so hot that even Wal-Mart announced this year that they would only buy their yearly 50 million pounds of shrimp from farms that are certified as environmentally sound by the Global Aquaculture Alliance or the Aquaculture Certification Council.
So short of kissing your shrimp cocktail goodbye what is one to do? Look for wild or domestic shrimp. If shopping, markets will usually list the country of origin next to their seafood. But if you’re eating out or at a party ... you’re pretty much on your own. However, just like restaurants advertise free-range chickens they are starting to do the same with seafood…ever seen “line caught” or “wild” on a menu? I’m sure you’ll start paying attention.

Labels: antibiotics, fish oil, shrimp, toxins