“If you’re a victim of fish fraud, you are not getting what you paid for.”
A TikTok video on ‘fish fraud’ in the restaurant industry has gone viral, hinting at widespread concerns about seafood mislabeling.
The clip, which has attracted over 556,000 views, was posted by a TikTok user named Kat. At a recent visit to a restaurant in New York, she discovered a menu item labeled “Salmone Selvaggio,” described as “pan-seared wild Ora King salmon.”
In the video, Kat points out the problem,: Ora King is a farmed salmon from New Zealand, not a wild species.
@katmeowcue #CapCut #fishfraud #wildsalmon #farmedsalmon #kingsalmon #orakingsalmon #consumerprotection ♬ original sound – Kat
This incident is a textbook example of ‘fish fraud,’ a term used to describe the misrepresentation of seafood products. This can range from incorrectly stating the origin of the fish to substituting one type of fish for another. Such practices pose risks to consumer health, can mislead those with specific dietary needs, and have broader implications for environmental sustainability and ethical consumption.
“I am obsessed with fish fraud,” wrote one user in the comments below the video.
“Recently tried to have a convo with Uber driver about red snapper being subbed out at restaurants… he did not engage,” commented another.
In a follow up video, Kat, who says she has worked in the industry for five years, explains the reason for her interest in the subject. “If you’re a victim of fish fraud, you are not getting what you paid for,” she said. “Whether you are the consumer at the market, the consumer at the restaurant, or even the restaurant owner who is buying from a supplier who is selling you fake fish.”
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