State officials are considering using DNA testing to combat fish mislabeling and are launching a pilot program in partnership with Legal Sea Foods that would trace seafood using barcodes, according to testimony prepared today for a hearing held by the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure.
The Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, the state Department of Public Health, and the Department of Marine Fisheries, and are “in the process of facilitating discussions around the issue of fish genetics testing with faculty and staff at UMass Dartmouth’s School of Marine Science and Technology (SMSAT),” Charles Carroll, director of the state’s Division of Standards at the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, wrote in prepared testimony.
“We are confident that the Administration’s coordinated response, focusing on both education and enforcement, including examining the possibility of integrating fish genetics testing, will ensure that that the fish retail marketplace in Massachusetts adequately protects both businesses and consumers alike.”
