Safety and Health

U.S. Farm-Raised Seafood is

Excellent source of high quality, digestible and complete proteins.

High in Omega-3 fatty acids, and important vitamins and minerals.

Low in calories, LDL cholesterol, saturated fats, and sodium.

Eat two servings of U.S. farm-raised seafood per week for better health!

Omega 3 Fatty Acids Antibiotics, Hormones and Drugs Aquaculture Feeds Mercury PCBs and Dioxin Food Allergies Pregnancy Sodium Cholesterol

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

U.S. farm-raised seafood is a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids that play a critical role in maintaining good health.

Seafood is by far the best source of two of the most important omega-3 fatty acids: eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Omega-3 fatty acids affect the critical balance of certain blood components called lipoproteins by reducing low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) that deposit cholesterol along the artery walls.

U.S. farmed fish has equal or greater Omega-3 fatty acid concentrations.

A 2014 study looked at 76 species of farmed and wild fish from six regions of the U.S., and evaluated their fatty acid content, specifically their total eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). They found that farm-raised fish species popular in the U.S., like salmon, bass, cod and trout, had just as much or more of the omega-3 fatty acids than wild caught.

The omega-3 fatty acids may also lower the levels of blood triglycerides, another type of fat involved in heart disease.

Triglycerides may contribute to hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis). Furthermore, omega-3 fatty acids may lower the “stickiness” of red blood cells. This helps the blood to flow more smoothly and reduces the formation of clots. One study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, suggests that modest consumption of fish, 1-2 servings per week, may reduce the risk of coronary death by as much as 36%.

Antibiotics, Hormones and Drugs

U.S. farm-raised seafood is grown under strict food safety and environmental regulations.

In the United States, it is illegal to use antibiotics or added hormones as a growth enhancer. Very few drugs have been approved for use for food fish and those drugs must be used under the direction of a licensed veterinarian only in response to a disease concern. This is not the case in many other countries where a wide range of drugs may be used.

Treating sick animals is a tenet of U.S. animal welfare standards.

The FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) works with government agencies and aquaculture associations to maintain the safety and effectiveness of approved drugs. Before a drug is approved for use in U.S. aquaculture, it must be shown that it will not harm the environment or public health. Strict drug withdrawal times are enforced to help assure public safety.

Aquaculture Feeds

The FDA routinely collects and analyzes samples of feeds and fish to help ensure that unsafe levels of any compounds used in animal production do not appear in the marketplace.

Aquaculture feeds are regulated under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as well as State Departments of Agriculture and the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).

Scientists and the U.S. fish farming industry are working actively to develop sustainable feeds that improve feed conversion rates, replace fishmeal with alternative sources of protein, and minimize waste production. Soybean farmers in America’s Heartland play a major part in this effort, visit the Soy Aquaculture Alliance's page for more information!

To learn more about Feed Sustainability, visit our Sustainability page.

Mercury

U.S. farm-raised seafood is low in mercury!

The vast majority of the seafood consumed in the United States is considered low mercury.

Some long-lived, deepwater fish tend to accumulate concentrations of mercury that can cause adverse health consequences for a limited target audience. FDA recommends that pregnant women, women who may become pregnant, nursing mothers, and small children avoid the consumption of shark, tilefish (harvested in the Gulf of Mexico), swordfish, and king mackerel and limit the consumption of albacore (white) tuna to 6 ounces per week. Chunk light tuna has no recommended limit because it is a different species.

Many of the fish and shellfish considered low mercury including shrimp, channel catfish, tilapia, trout, and salmon are farm-raised.

PCBs and Dioxin

"If 100,000 people ate farmed salmon twice a week for 70 years, the extra PCB intake could potentially cause 24 extra deaths from cancer—but would prevent at least 7,000 deaths from heart disease”. JAMA 2006

The main dietary source of organic contaminants in seafood is sport fish caught in contaminated waters. U.S. farm-raised seafood is safe and healthy!

Sports anglers tend to eat many of the same species of fish caught in the same location. This can increase any potential risk. Levels of PCBs and dioxins in commercial fish and shellfish are very low, similar to levels in meats, dairy products, and eggs. More than 90 percent of the PCBs and dioxins in the U.S. food supply come from non-seafood sources.

People who are concerned about PCBs and other fat soluble contaminants can take steps to reduce any potential intake. Since contaminants accumulate slowly over a long period of time, select smaller fish. Cooking techniques that allow fats to drip away from the fish such as grilling, broiling, or baking on a rack can also be used.

Food Allergies

Approximately 2.8% of the U.S. population has an allergic reaction to either finfish, shellfish, or both.

Most people experience their first allergic reaction as adults. The most common finfish allergies involve salmon, tuna and halibut. Of that list, only salmon is currently farm-raised. Shellfish can be divided into mollusks (clams, oysters, mussels, etc.) and crustaceans (crabs, lobsters, and shrimp). Allergic reactions to crustaceans tend to be the most severe. Mollusks are not considered to be major allergens. People who are allergic to one group of shellfish may not be allergic to the other.

Some foods contain hidden seafood ingredients. Since allergic reactions can be severe, label reading is important.

Foods that contain anchovies:
- Worcestershire sauce
- Barbecue sauces made with Worcestershire
- Caesar salad
- Caesar dressing
- Caponata
Other foods that contain fish:
- Caviar and fish roe (fish eggs)
- Products like surimi, an imitation crabmeat, are sometimes used in sushi
- Fish sauce, oils, and some gelatins

Pregnancy

A well-balanced diet that includes a variety of fish and shellfish can contribute to maternal health and children’s proper growth and development. Include more U.S. farm-raised seafood in your child diet!

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 recommends that women who are pregnant or breastfeeding consumer at least 8 and up to 12 ounces of a variety of seafood each week. Pregnant women and young children should include fish and shellfish in their diets because of the many nutritional benefits. Some studies have shown that modest fish consumption (2 meals per week) during pregnancy may actually improve motor skills, brain function, and communication in young children. Other research suggests that seafood consumption may help mothers carry their babies to full term and avoid low birth weight. Regular seafood consumption has also been implicated in mood improvement, especially in cases of post-partum depression.

The FDA's Advice About Eating Fish provides helpful recommendations.

The nutritional value of seafood is of particular importance during fetal growth and development, as well as in early infancy and childhood.

Some evidence indicates that intake of omega-3 fatty acids, in particular at least 8 ounces of seafood per week for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding is associated with improved infant health outcomes. Those selections should be made from the any species that are not considered to be high in methyl mercury. Obstetricians and pediatricians should provide guidance to women who are pregnant or breast feeding to help them make healthy food choices that include seafood. The key to enjoying great fish and shellfish during and after pregnancy is to eat a variety of seafood farm-raised in the USA. Federal, state, and local regulations help ensure that no harmful drugs, chemicals, hormones, and antibiotics are used during production.

Sodium

Fish are naturally low in sodium.

Even those species with the highest sodium levels contain less than 100 milligrams per 3 ounce cooked portion. The current recommended limit for daily sodium intake is less than 2,300 milligrams for the general adult population and higher risk groups would benefit by further reducing their sodium intake to 1,500 milligrams per day. Most shellfish generally have more sodium, ranging from 100 to 500 milligrams per 3 ounce cooked serving.

Herbs and spices are flavorful substitutes for added salt. Some processed or frozen seafood products may contain significantly higher sodium levels. It's a good idea to carefully read ingredient or nutritional labels for processed products to determine their sodium content.

Cholesterol

U.S. farm raised seafood is high in good cholesterol and low in saturated fats.

Some people believe that all cholesterol is bad, but actually our bodies produce naturally and need cholesterol for a variety of functions including maintaining a healthy nervous system. Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), considered "bad cholesterol, comes from saturated and trans fats and can lead to clogged arteries. High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) cannot be produced by the body and is important to consume to maintain health health.

The American Heart Association recommends consuming no more than 300 milligrams of dietary cholesterol per day. One serving of shrimp contains just about half of the daily recommendation.

Food Safety and U.S. Farm-Raised Seafood

Aquaculture currently supplies over 50% of all the seafood that is consumed worldwide. U.S. aquaculture production is overseen by a number of federal agencies including the Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Department of the Interior, the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Federal programs are supplemented by extensive state and local programs. Each of these agencies and programs has a food safety component. Food safety is strictly regulated through every phase of the farming process from initial breeding to harvest.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Regulatory System

Fish and shellfish farm-raised in the United States must meet rigorous standards for both product wholesomeness and safety.

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)

The Food and Drug Administration requires seafood processors to implement a mandatory Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) program. The HACCP system is a proactive system based on identifying and preventing hazards that could cause foodborne illnesses rather than a conventional reactive inspection system relying on spot checks. HACCP requires that a food establishment analyzes its production methods in a rational, scientific manner to identify critical control points, establish critical limits, and monitoring procedures. The principles of HACCP were pioneered by the Pillsbury Company in cooperation with NASA to help ensure that food for the United States space program approached a 100% safety level. In 1997, the FDA initiated a mandatory HACCP program for seafood to increase the margin of safety and reduce seafood related illnesses to the lowest possible levels.

HACCP has several additional benefits over conventional inspection systems.

It clearly recognizes the food establishment as the final party responsible for food safety and allows the regulatory agency to determine the food establishment’s level of compliance more precisely over time. HACCP records kept by the food establishment may be reviewed at any time without prior notice, while traditional inspection systems can only determine conditions at the time of inspection and produce a “snapshot” of compliance.

The federal program is supplemented by state and local licensing programs. Inspectors check physical facilities to help ensure that they meet all the requirements of HACCP and adhere to safe food sanitation and processing standards. Those programs rely heavily on the implementation of HACCP principles and regular inspection.

Food Traceability

Food traceability is the final component of FDA’s New Era of Smarter Food Safety Blueprint authorized by the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The new requirements will allow for faster identification and rapid removal of potentially contaminated food from the marketplace, resulting in fewer foodborne illnesses and/or deaths.

At the core of this rule is a requirement people manufacturing, processing, packing, or holding foods on the Food Traceability List, maintain records containing Key Data Elements associated with specific Critical Tracking Events; and provide information to the FDA within 24 hours or within some reasonable time to which the FDA has agreed.

The final rule aligns with current industry best practices and covers domestic, as well as foreign firms producing food for U.S. consumption, along the entire food supply chain in the farm-to-table continuum.

U.S. Department of Agriculture

The Food Safety and Inspection Service protects the public's health by ensuring meat (including U.S. farm-raised catfish), poultry and egg products are safe, wholesome, and correctly labeled and packaged. FSIS inspects U.S. farmed and wild catfish during processing and tests the final products for bacterial or chemicals recognized to pose a threat to human health. Foreign producers must implement equivalent programs. Imported catfish products are tested for compliance with U.S. standards.

state shellfish sanitation officers inspecting oysters

Shellfish Sanitation Program

In addition to the mandatory FDA HACCP program, farm-raised oysters, clams, and mussels are closely monitored by the Interstate Shellfish Sanitation Conference (ISSC).

State agencies, in cooperation with the FDA, administer a certification program requiring wholesale shellfish dealers to harvest, handle, process, and ship shellfish under sanitary conditions and maintain records verifying that the shellfish were harvested from approved waters.

State agencies regularly test shellfish growing waters to help ensure that the shellfish harvested from those waters are safe, inspect shellfish handling and shipping facilities, and routinely collect samples of shellfish for thorough testing. The FDA publishes a listing of certified interstate shellfish shippers. State inspectors collect shellfish from retailers and restaurants for additional testing.

All bivalve molluscan shellfish (clams, oysters, and mussels) must be tagged with information about when they were harvested, who harvested them, and where they were harvested. The tag must also include the shellfish shipper’s number. This helps to ensure that shellfish are harvested from approved areas by licensed harvesters.

Retail and Restaurant Inspections

County, local, and state health departments routinely inspect seafood sales at the retail level. The Public Health Service regularly updates the U.S. Food Code to help ensure that appropriate steps are being taken to maintain a wholesome, safe and nutritious food supply. The Code provides an extensive set of food handling requirements.

Environmental Sustainability

About Aquaculture

Offshore Aquaculture