Frozen Fish Fillets Harbor Hidden Dangers
Posted: Sunday, July 05, 2009
by Gerry Charbonneau
http://nibblednews.typepad.com
"The only kind of seafood I trust is the fish stick, a totally featureless fish that doesn't have eyeballs or fins." -- Dave Barry (American Writer and Humorist)
For the past ten years I have always enjoyed a somewhat traditional fish dinner on Saturday evening. A popular brand of sole fillet marketed and produced by High Liner Foods Incorporated caught my attention and I had remained a faithful customers ever since. The portion of fish offered in the popular blue and white packaging serves two people adequately. It was always an easy and tasty meal to prepare.
Recently however I noticed that the overall quality of the fillet itself had deteriorated somewhat from the superb product I have come to know and love. One month ago a goodly portion of the fillet contained a few bits and pieces of fish bones and other waste product. This surprised me and I thought nothing of it at the time. After all, I believed this was a reputable company whose advertising company touted quality, good tasting fish.
One week later I discovered that over fifty percent of a recently purchased fillet I was eating contained a larger portion of fish bones and other debris. The fillet was more suitable for a feline pallet than for human consumption. Shards of fish bones, entrails and other unknown detriment seemed to ooze onto my plate. Needless to say I threw the portion of fish in the garbage.
The outside of the packaging contained a corporate website and email address a person could write in order to issue a formal complaint or praise for the product. I emailed my complaint and included the name of the product, the package size and the Lot Number which identified the case lot the fish was processed in. I hoped that by providing this information the company would be able to identify the source of the "problem".
I recently received a letter from the company's Consumer Response Representative. The letter was apologetic in tone and expressed the corporate concern for my plight. The company was "most concerned to learn of my experience." They were as contrite and polite as possible.
I was reassured that the company performed numerous quality checks in the production process to ensure quality and that "the company makes every effort to eliminate bones in our fish". However "due to inherent characteristics of fish we cannot guarantee (the) complete removal" of bones in the fish. I was informed that the bones are "impossible to eliminate completely".
The letter also added that "because bones are natural to fish, seafood manufacturers are not required to warn about the possible presence of bones." In essence, the bones might or might not be there be there and it's up to the consumer to watch out for a potential problem should it happen to occur. End of story. The responsibility was now thrown into my lap.
The letter thanked me for my email and offered me three free product coupons for my efforts. The company hoped I would continue to be a faithful consumer of their product and continue to be one of their valued customers.
I found it interesting that the product quality had been superb for such a long stretch of time. Suddenly its apparent transformation into cat fodder was not the fault of the manufacturers. It was now my responsibility to assume all the risk for my personal safety while consuming their product.
The current economic situation might be responsible for higher than normal unemployment and job insecurity but customer safety and product quality should never be compromised. Customers should be made aware of any hidden dangers lurking inside the packaging of food products they purchase. It makes good business sense to go beyond the basics and protect those people who have proven to be supporting customers over the years.
I have now changed my Saturday night supper menu. I've discovered that ground chicken chili served with kidney beans, diced yellow onion and tomato soup also works for my palate. The only threat I face now comes from eating too much chili. To date no chicken bones have been discovered!
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Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)Safety, quality, really? Is it not all about profit and global expansion? It has nothing to do with safety, quality, but just what I stated, getting our $$$$$ everywhere but here. Sorry, and that's a fact Jack" as the movie line goes that the majority of Americans can't evidently grasp. Sorry for being direct, it had nothing to do with your artilce I agree with much of it.Thank you Robert for your comment. Much appreciated.
I admit that I am one of those gullible people who still believe in honesty, truth in advertising and corporate integrity. My concerned centered on people who are caring for dependent adults who may run into problems ingesting such tainted products.
Let the customer beware needs to rule the roost as corporate America cuts its cost to get even more of our dwindling hard earned cash!Gerry, I worked in retail and saw first hand products going back into the freezer, outdated, etc. Yes thats why your article was excellent. yet we should not forget much of what we buy offshore is not regulated like we think. Keep up the good work.
Ewww Gerry, what an awful experience. It's good you alerted us about it. I think we can expect quality to suffer more with the number of layoffs that have occurred. I haven't been able to buy frozen fish yet. I'm sure to have bought some that was frozen before I paid for it, though. I miss fresh fish I was able to get in FL after family was out on the boat fishing for it.
Thanks for sharing!Thank you Ms Ward for your comments.
Cutbacks, layoffs and cost cutting measures have certainly created hardships and problems not only for employees but also for the American consumer. The familiar brands that many folks have trusted for years now need to be scrutinized under a microscope to ensure our trust is not misplaced in them.
Hi Gerry, I just found your site today after I had the terrible scare of my life. Myself, just like you, purchased for many years the Highliner Foods frozen Sole filets. Today, as once a week I cooked it & was so much looking forward to eat it, since it is so healthy & I prepared it always breaded or just with a lemon sauce. I was at home alone at the time & when I swallowed I sure felt that I swallowed a bone. It felt like a needle was stuck in my throat. I was terrified. I checked on the internet where it was suggested to eat bread with lots of peanut butter to help to move the bone down. It seems to be O.K. now, but it wasn't for quite sometime. It was very, very scary! Not even mentioning to end up in the emergency of some hospital with all the H1N1 patients. Anyway what I will do is, I will call them, there is a phone number on the package. Needless to say I will throw out the few packages I have in my freezer. Thanks for your article & your insight. I am scared to eat ANY fish now for the rest of my life!!!Thank you for writing.I'm glad you did not get injured as a result of eating the badly packaged fish.A representative from Highliner Foods will send you a letter explaiing their position and even offer you a number of free fish products for your enjoyment.As for myself, I have abandoned ship on their fish products and now enjoy ham on Sundays.Take care and good luck to you.
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