Laura Porter is a careful consumer. She buys organic food whenever possible, steering clear of unwanted pesticides on grapes or antibiotics in meat. She studies labels to be sure foods are as free of added chemicals as they purport to be. She shops at farmers markets near her Central Massachusetts home to support local, environmentally friendly agriculture.
But when she stands at the fish counter, the picture isn’t so clear. She chooses wild salmon over farm-raised, concerned about contaminants. Canned tuna is no longer a staple, due to mercury scares. She doesn’t know much about fish in terms of sustainability, and is unsure about what questions to ask.
“When we go out to eat fish, I never ask where it’s from,’’ she said. “I will not go near sushi – there are so many different reasons it could be bad.’’
Fish presents a quandary for even the savviest of shoppers or diners, buffeted by conflicting reports on health benefits and environmental impact, not to mention food-borne illnesses. Porter is not alone in choosing wild salmon over farmed, but the answers aren’t black and white, according to public health, nutrition, and conservation specialists. Some worry that fear-mongering gives fish – wild or farmed – a bad rap, denying people a good source of protein. Others contend that some species are so contaminated – like some kinds of tuna used in sushi – they should almost never be eaten.