Stay cautious of cheap seafood that comes with a catch

PETALING JAYA: Seafood surplus has led to lower prices and bulk purchases, but here’s some food for thought – experts are warning of potential contamination and quality issues.

With that in mind, they are highlighting the need for proper refrigeration, careful inspection and even buying seafood from reputable sources.

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Malaysian Society of Toxicology president Dr Rozaini Abdullah said that while seafood is rich in nutrition, certain species, mainly filter feeders like mussels, oysters and clams, along with several fish varieties, could accumulate pollutants from their environment.

She said as these organisms filtered large volumes of sea water to extract food, it also inadvertently captures and accumulates pollutants present in the water, such as microplastics, heavy metals and marine toxins.

“These hidden dangers pose significant risks to food safety and public health, necessitating urgent attention and action,” she said.Dr Rozaini advised consumers to mitigate health risks by being proactive when buying seafood.

“This includes ensuring seafood is stored at the correct temperature and inspecting it for unusual signs such as cloudy eyes, discoloured flesh or a strong fishy odour.“Ensuring that seafood is fresh, properly handled and sourced from reputable suppliers is essential,” she said, adding that it was important to minimise the risks of consuming substances from areas with higher contamination rates.

“Consumers should also choose species that are less prone to bio-accumulating heavy metals like mercury.”

Additionally, Dr Rozaini reminded that seafood should be cooked at the appropriate temperature to kill harmful bacteria and parasites. She said consumers should also adhere to local health advisories and recommendations on seafood consumption, especially those concerning contamination levels and specific species to avoid.She said marine toxins produced by certain algae and micro-organisms could accumulate in seafood and cause illnesses like paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) and ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP), which vary in severity from mild gastrointestinal distress to severe neurological effects.

There was a significant threat posed by heavy metals like mercury, lead and cadmium which entered marine environments through industrial activities and accumulated in seafood, posing serious health risks, especially to vulnerable groups, she added.

“In Malaysia, certain types of seafood like mackerel, shrimp, squid and cockles have been found to contain high levels of mercury, prompting advisories on their consumption,” she said.

To mitigate these risks, Dr Rozaini proposed strengthening seafood and marine environment monitoring, enforcing environmental regulations, educating consumers, investing in research and pursuing international cooperation to address marine pollution.In their response, several food and beverage operators have assured that they cooked seafood thoroughly to prevent the risk of contamination.

Petty Traders and Hawkers Association president Datuk Rosli Sulaiman said generally, hawkers and restaurant management do not refrigerate seafood ingredients for more than two days, with cooked seafood not reheated for sale the next day.

“Except for ikan masak kicap (fish fried in soy sauce), which can be preserved. We hope that wholesalers consider food safety and proper storage when preserving seafood in the interest of consumer health,” he said, adding that food and beverage operators must purchase seafood from reliable wholesalers.

Ku Su Shin Choong Hung Chinese Restaurants Association member Sia Boon Kong said many consumers were unaware of microplastic consumption from fish. He said most seafood restaurants provided live seafood to customers, except for imported seafood which was vacuum-packed and frozen for a longer shelf life. Sia said restaurants should consider the freshness of seafood, such as the texture of the meat, and reject it if it was not fresh.