Recently, a comprehensive study of frozen shrimp has revealed disgusting facts about the popular shellfish.
The
study published by Consumer Reports investigated 342 packages of frozen
shrimp - both raw and cooked - only to discover that 60 per cent
carried bacteria that can cause disease in humans.
Among the bacteria was vibrio, most commonly associated with raw oysters and potentially lethal to humans.
Researching hundreds of bags of frozen shrimp, researchers discovered most contained traces of bacteria
The Huffington Post notes that the bacteria has become more common with the rising ocean temperature.
Traces of antibiotics were also discovered in 11 of the samples.
All those shrimp testing positive for antibiotics had been imported from Asia.
Use of antibiotics in shrimp is forbidden by the FDA as it can contribute to antibiotic-resistant bacteria spreading.
However
nearly all of the shrimp in American stores - a whopping 94percent - is
imported from other countries, where producers might use the compounds
to increase output.
Consumers should search for sustainbly fished wild shrimp to avoid traces of antibiotics
Shrimp are wildly popular in the U.S., as ABC reports that the average American consumes as much as four pounds of shrimp every year.
That makes them even more popular than tuna.
For
shellfish fans who don't want to give up on their favorite seafood,
Consumer Reports says it's best to purchase sustainably fished wild
shrimp, which is unlikely to contain antibiotics.
