Seafood

Historically, marine mammals such as cetaceans (whales and dolphins) as well as seals have been eaten as food, though that happens to a lesser extent in modern times.

[2][3] Findings in a sea cave at Pinnacle Point in South Africa indicate Homo sapiens (modern humans) harvested marine life as early as 165,000 years ago,[2] while the Neanderthals, an extinct human species contemporary with early Homo sapiens, appear to have been eating seafood at sites along the Mediterranean coast beginning around the same time.

[4] Isotopic analysis of the skeletal remains of Tianyuan man, a 40,000-year-old anatomically modern human from eastern Asia, has shown that he regularly consumed freshwater fish.

[5][6] Archaeology features such as shell middens,[7] discarded fish bones, and cave paintings show that sea foods were important for survival and consumed in significant quantities.

A stele of the late 3rd century BCE from the small Boeotian city of Akraiphia, on Lake Copais, provides us with a list of fish prices.

At the beginning of the Imperial era, however, this custom suddenly came to an end, which is why mullus in the feast of Trimalchio (see the Satyricon) could be shown as a characteristic of the parvenu, who bores his guests with an unfashionable display of dying fish.

A wide range of mollusks (including oysters, mussels and scallops) were eaten by coastal and river-dwelling populations, and freshwater crayfish were seen as a desirable alternative to meat during fish days.

[13] Modern knowledge of the reproductive cycles of aquatic species has led to the development of hatcheries and improved techniques of fish farming and aquaculture.

A better understanding of the hazards of eating raw and undercooked fish and shellfish has led to improved preservation methods and processing.

[48] Live food fish are often transported in tanks at high expense for an international market that prefers its seafood killed immediately before it is cooked.

[50] If the cool chain has not been adhered to correctly, food products generally decay and become harmful before the validity date printed on the package.

Also, a chemical substance called dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) that is found in red and green algae is transferred into animals in the marine food chain.

When broken down, dimethyl sulfide (DMS) is produced, and is often released during food preparation when fresh fish and shellfish are heated.

"[66] Seafood consumption is associated with improved neurologic development during pregnancy[67][68] and early childhood[69] and is more tenuously linked to reduced mortality from coronary heart disease.

[71][72][73] A 2020 umbrella review concluded that fish consumption reduces all-cause mortality, cancer, cardiovascular disease, stroke and other outcomes.

[75][76] The parts of fish containing essential fats and micronutrients, often cited as primary health benefits of eating seafood, are frequently discarded in the developed world.

[77] Micronutrients including calcium, potassium, selenium, zinc, and iodine are found in their highest concentrations in the head, intestines, bones, and scales.

However, consumers have limited access to relevant and actionable information in this regard and the seafood industry's systemic problems with mislabelling make decisions about what is safe even more fraught.

Evaluating the risk of ciguatera in any given fish requires specific knowledge of its origin and life history, information that is often inaccurate or unavailable.

Species of fish that are high on the food chain, such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel, albacore tuna, and tilefish contain higher concentrations of these bioaccumulates.

[88] Man-made disasters can cause localized hazards in seafood which may spread widely via piscine food chains.

Avoidance of modest fish consumption due to confusion regarding risks and benefits could result in thousands of excess CHD [congenital heart disease] deaths annually and suboptimal neurodevelopment in children.

[92] Byzantine supply chains, frequent bycatch, brand naming, species substitution, and inaccurate ecolabels all contribute to confusion for the consumer.

Another type of mislabelling is short-weighting, where practices such as overglasing or soaking can misleadingly increase the apparent weight of the fish.

[93] For example, a 2014 study published in PLOS One found that 15% of MSC certified Patagonian toothfish originated from uncertified and mercury polluted fisheries.

The new study found that through good fisheries management techniques even depleted fish stocks can be revived and made commercially viable again.

"[104] The National Fisheries Institute, a trade advocacy group representing the United States seafood industry, disagree.

They claim that currently observed declines in fish populations are due to natural fluctuations and that enhanced technologies will eventually alleviate whatever impact humanity is having on oceanic life.

[111] In ancient and medieval times, the Catholic Church forbade the practice of eating meat, eggs and dairy products during Lent.

[114] In predominantly Roman Catholic areas, restaurants may adjust their menus during Lent by adding seafood items to the menu.

A seafood platter composed of shrimp, oyster, snail and crab.
Seafood includes any form of food taken from the sea.
Annual seafood consumption per capita (2017) [ 1 ]
Various foods depicted in an Egyptian burial chamber, including fish, c. 1400 BCE.
The US FDA recommends moderate consumption of fish as part of a healthy and balanced diet.
Barracuda found in Florida are avoided due to a high risk of ciguatera. The same fish found in Belize presents a lesser risk due to the lower prevalence of ciguatera-causing dinoflagellates in the Caribbean. Thus, knowing a fish's origin and life history is essential to determining its health hazards.
Organic and inorganic compounds including methylmercury , microplastics , and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) can bioaccumulate to dangerous levels in apex predators like swordfish and marlin .
Escolar is sometimes difficult to distinguish from tuna when cooked. Unlike tuna, escolar is associated with keriorrhea and severe cramping following consumption. [ 91 ] In many restaurants, most fish labeled as tuna, white tuna, or albacore are mislabeled escolar. [ 92 ] [ 93 ]