DNA Testing Introduced to Identify Wild American Shrimp

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Wild American Shrimp Inc., in collaboration with Applied Food Technologies, has developed a DNA-based test that can be used to confirm that a product represented as domestic shrimp is indeed domestic shrimp. DNA markers have been developed for testing brown, pink and white varieties of wild-caught American shrimp. Such testing for additional varieties is expected to be made available later this year, a source at Applied Food Technologies said. WASI made DNA-based testing a priority "because the practice of mixing in cheaper, inferior, sometimes farmed seafood, with authentic, wild-caught seafood has been clearly documented," said WASI executive director Eddie Gordon. "We want consumers to be assured that when they select certified wild American shrimp, they're choosing shrimp wild-harvested in the Gulf of Mexico or South Atlantic that are certified to meet high standards."