By james art 
Florida’s Shining Industry has been attacked by climate change
In Florida, shrimp collides with numerous barriers from foreign imports to increasing fuel prices. Now they see the impact of climate change.
Restaurants across the Persian Gulf coast serve imported shrimp, but tell their customers that they are fed up with fresh crustaceans, caught in the Gulf of Mexico, an open series of new studies.
Sead Consulting, a food safety technology company, tested shrimp from arbitrarily selected restaurants in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Biloxy, Mississippi; Galveston, Texas; And Tampa Bay, Florida. Researchers have discovered that a significant number of restaurants have passed from their shrimp as locally provided, although grown in foreign farms and have been imported into the United States
The cities with the highest “shrimp degree” were Tampa Bay and St. Petersburg, Florida, with 96%, according to Sead Consulting. Only two samples of 44 restaurants served authentic shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico, a study found.
Tests in other cities produce similar results. In Bilxy, 82% of restaurants “cheated consumers for what they were buying,” Sid said. In Galveston, 59% of the 44 restaurants in which he tries, serves imported shrimp while claiming to have been caught locally. At Baton Rouge, researchers took samples from the menu at 24 restaurants and found nearly 30% – more than 1 in 4 – were missed.
“Consumers come ashore, expecting the best, priestly seafood in the Persian Gulf, but what is being served on them often does not reach it,” says Erin Williams, Chief Operations Officer of Sead Consulting. “This is not just a misconception; It is an eroding confidence of consumers, the undercut of local business and the threatening of the livelihood of hardworking shrimp in the Persian Gulf. “
As restaurants mislead customers, shrimp struggles to compete
The consulting company behind the survey says that the wrapping wrong presentation is not only harmed by clients – who are at higher risk of consuming tarnished food – but also damages to local fishermen who are struggling to compete with the low cost of imported shrimp from Countries like India, Vietnam and Ecuador.
About 90% of shrimp consumed in the United States are imported, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
John Williams, CEO of the Southern Shrimp Alliance, a Florida -based intercession group that represents shrimp in multiple states, said in a statement that “shrimp family operating outside the port of Tampa are struggling to survive while Local restaurants Bamboozle customers are served on locally caught shrimp. “
“If restaurants want to serve shrimp from countries related to labor abuse, environmental damage and forbidden use of antibiotics, this is their choice. But be honest and let users choose what they eat,” he said.
Some countries are destroyed by misleading shrimp
The consulting company and the groups advocated for the fishermen have pushed state legislators to deal with the misleading of seafood, especially shrimp, in restaurants. So far, Alabama and Louisiana have been charged to print a misconception and protect the bottom line of local shrimp.
Earlier this month, a new law came into force in Louisiana, requiring restaurants selling imported shrimp to include a notice on their menus, telling customers that shrimp are imported and list the country of origin. A similar law came into force in Alabama in October.
The development of a new genetic test has led to recent studies
Studies have become possible with the development of a genetic test created by researchers at Florida and Sead State University, which has the patent for what it calls the right test in partnership with the university.
In order to detect authenticity, the test strip is placed in a DNA sample solution and examined for the presence of a gene specific to the Atlantic white shrimp, which are particularly prone to replacement.
The new test, which can detect raw and cooked species, has usually failed the five -day process to just two hours, according to Florida State University. He also cut the need to send samples to a laboratory for testing and analysis of DNA. Instead, the new test is much more affordable and can provide restaurant and market results.
Curious where are your shrimp from? Ask
Advocate consultation groups and SEAD fishermen encourage tourists and locals to eat in restaurants that serve authentic shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico.
However, finding out what restaurants honestly serve shrimp from the Persian Gulf is a challenge. Because processed shrimp is often peeled, it can be difficult even for experts to distinguish shrimp species only based on physical characteristics.
“When you peel the shrimp, they look similar,” says Prachant Singh, an assistant that helps the development of the shrimp type test.
Sead Consulting advises people to ask where their shrimp is from and to support more strong provisions against the misconception of seafood.
“Do not be afraid to ask your server for proof that shrimp is locally caught, such as seeing the box in which it has entered – Restaurants should be proud that it shows where their seafood comes from,” the company said S
(This story was updated to add additional information.)
Contribution: Wade Tatangelo, USA Today Network