4 ms·

It should be called "mislabeled fish" then. "Fake fish" sounds like they're selling you chicken or something, which is way more terrifying for someone trying to

It should be called "mislabeled fish" then. "Fake fish" sounds like they're selling you chicken or something, which is way more terrifying for someone trying to eat fish -- not everyone cares exactly what the species is so long as it's fish, but they'd freak out it wasn't even some kind of fish. Take note of [1]: > Escolar is considered by the FDA and most fish experts to be Tuna [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escolar#Mislabeling https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escolar#Mislabeling

Spooky23 10y ago
If you couldn't tell the difference between chicken and any fish, you probably should avoid it. You'll notice the difference between escolar/"white tuna" and albacore tuna that we normally eat is that it's a lot cheaper, is oily and it gives you explosive orange diahharea.
chris_7 10y ago
To me, the idea of eating something potentially mercury-toxic like tuna or swordfish when expecting something like salmon is pretty terrifying. I stay far away from those things. That seems unlikely to happen, though. If it's just arctic char marked as salmon, meh.
- wfunction 10y ago
  > To me, the idea of eating something potentially mercury-toxic like tuna or swordfish when expecting something like salmon is pretty terrifying. Yes, that's why I very clearly said > not everyone cares exactly what the species is And was anyone substituting salmon with tuna in the first place? It's not like every wild substitution is being made. Like I said, the FDA is fine with some of them. Your viewpoint is just fine (and I'm with you honestly) but my point is that a lot of other people have others.
- zumu 10y ago
  Escolar, which is often served in lieu of true tuna, is potentially harmful. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keriorrhea https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keriorrhea
undersuit 10y ago
>not everyone cares exactly what the species is so long as it's fish, but they'd freak out it wasn't even some kind of fish. I would say that is about 100% wrong. I don't order "the fish" in any restaurant. I order what's on the menu, and if the menu says it's snapper, I expect snapper. If it's not snapper, change your menu. Wouldn't you object to my restaurant serving you Angus beef when you actually ordered the Wagyu?
- jameshart 10y ago
  In New England restaurants you'll find 'scrod' on a lot of menus. It means something different in every restaurant.
- wfunction 10y ago
  >> not everyone cares exactly what the species is > I would say that is about 100% wrong. I don't order "the fish" in any restaurant. You aren't everyone. And people generally try not to be sarcastic when ordering, either. Ordering "the fish" in a seafood restaurant would be obviously sarcastic. In another kind of restaurant, it isn't necessarily. Heck, take a look at "Filet-O-Fish" on McDonald's menu: https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/product/filet-o-fish.html https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/product/filet-o-fish.html > Dive into our wild-caught fish sandwich! Sourced from sustainable fisheries, topped with melty American cheese and creamy tartar sauce, and served on a soft, steamed bun. What kind of fish is it? You have no idea from just looking at the menu. But people order it anyway. Maybe you don't, but you are not everyone. And no, this isn't the only restaurant (or "food place", or whatever you want to call it) in the world that does this.
  - loader 10y ago
    If you click through to the ingredients section you'll see: FISH FILET PATTY: Ingredients: Pollock, Water, Vegetable Oil ...
    - wfunction 10y ago
      Yes. Did I say it was impossible to figure out? I thought I was just saying not everyone tries to figure it out before ordering.
Mindcraft 10y ago
If you are paying for an expensive fish and are served a cheap one, you are being ripped off. Someone may not care about what kind of fish they receive, but charge them more for that and I would say almost 99% would care.
zumu 10y ago
'Tuna' might not be the best word to describe these fish species served as sushi. In the original Japanese the labeling is much more explicit, where they are called 'maguro' which is less broad a category than 'tuna'. So while escolar may be 'tuna', it's definitely not 'maguro'. In fact escolar has been illegal in Japan for for decades because it's considered harmful due to its diarrhea inducing wax ester content.
fsloth 10y ago
Apparently escolar can cause diarrhea. I'd rather be very specific of the species in this case.
dave_sullivan 10y ago
Agreed, I did a double take there too. "If not fish, what have I been eating?" But no, I'm still eating fish, and it tastes like all the other fish I get at the same price, unless I pay roughly triple, in which case I get noticeably tastier (apparently of a different species) fish. Of course, mislabeled food is not fantastic, but I've figured for a while, when I order kobe beef sliders, "Yes, bold faced lies on the menu, but if it tastes good, who cares?" Transparency and reporting can go a long way here; isn't the rest just "market price" of whatever they're calling it today?
awqrre 10y ago
While escolar might be considered Tuna according to Wikipedia, here is a quote from the FDA's website: "FDA recommendation: Escolar should not be marketed in interstate commerce" [1] (because of the possible presense of gempylotoxin, a strong purgative oil (can cause severe diarrhea)) 1. http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/HACCP/ucm078063.htm http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/HACCP/ucm078063.h...

Spooky23 10y ago

If you couldn't tell the difference between chicken and any fish, you probably should avoid it. You'll notice the difference between escolar/"white tuna" and albacore tuna that we normally eat is that it's a lot cheaper, is oily and it gives you explosive orange diahharea.

chris_7 10y ago

To me, the idea of eating something potentially mercury-toxic like tuna or swordfish when expecting something like salmon is pretty terrifying. I stay far away from those things. That seems unlikely to happen, though. If it's just arctic char marked as salmon, meh.

wfunction 10y ago
> To me, the idea of eating something potentially mercury-toxic like tuna or swordfish when expecting something like salmon is pretty terrifying. Yes, that's why I very clearly said > not everyone cares exactly what the species is And was anyone substituting salmon with tuna in the first place? It's not like every wild substitution is being made. Like I said, the FDA is fine with some of them. Your viewpoint is just fine (and I'm with you honestly) but my point is that a lot of other people have others.
zumu 10y ago
Escolar, which is often served in lieu of true tuna, is potentially harmful. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keriorrhea https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keriorrhea

undersuit 10y ago

>not everyone cares exactly what the species is so long as it's fish, but they'd freak out it wasn't even some kind of fish. I would say that is about 100% wrong. I don't order "the fish" in any restaurant. I order what's on the menu, and if the menu says it's snapper, I expect snapper. If it's not snapper, change your menu. Wouldn't you object to my restaurant serving you Angus beef when you actually ordered the Wagyu?

jameshart 10y ago
In New England restaurants you'll find 'scrod' on a lot of menus. It means something different in every restaurant.
wfunction 10y ago
>> not everyone cares exactly what the species is > I would say that is about 100% wrong. I don't order "the fish" in any restaurant. You aren't everyone. And people generally try not to be sarcastic when ordering, either. Ordering "the fish" in a seafood restaurant would be obviously sarcastic. In another kind of restaurant, it isn't necessarily. Heck, take a look at "Filet-O-Fish" on McDonald's menu: https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/product/filet-o-fish.html https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/product/filet-o-fish.html > Dive into our wild-caught fish sandwich! Sourced from sustainable fisheries, topped with melty American cheese and creamy tartar sauce, and served on a soft, steamed bun. What kind of fish is it? You have no idea from just looking at the menu. But people order it anyway. Maybe you don't, but you are not everyone. And no, this isn't the only restaurant (or "food place", or whatever you want to call it) in the world that does this.
- loader 10y ago
  If you click through to the ingredients section you'll see: FISH FILET PATTY: Ingredients: Pollock, Water, Vegetable Oil ...
  - wfunction 10y ago
    Yes. Did I say it was impossible to figure out? I thought I was just saying not everyone tries to figure it out before ordering.

Mindcraft 10y ago

If you are paying for an expensive fish and are served a cheap one, you are being ripped off. Someone may not care about what kind of fish they receive, but charge them more for that and I would say almost 99% would care.

zumu 10y ago

'Tuna' might not be the best word to describe these fish species served as sushi. In the original Japanese the labeling is much more explicit, where they are called 'maguro' which is less broad a category than 'tuna'. So while escolar may be 'tuna', it's definitely not 'maguro'. In fact escolar has been illegal in Japan for for decades because it's considered harmful due to its diarrhea inducing wax ester content.

fsloth 10y ago

Apparently escolar can cause diarrhea. I'd rather be very specific of the species in this case.

dave_sullivan 10y ago

Agreed, I did a double take there too. "If not fish, what have I been eating?" But no, I'm still eating fish, and it tastes like all the other fish I get at the same price, unless I pay roughly triple, in which case I get noticeably tastier (apparently of a different species) fish. Of course, mislabeled food is not fantastic, but I've figured for a while, when I order kobe beef sliders, "Yes, bold faced lies on the menu, but if it tastes good, who cares?" Transparency and reporting can go a long way here; isn't the rest just "market price" of whatever they're calling it today?

awqrre 10y ago

While escolar might be considered Tuna according to Wikipedia, here is a quote from the FDA's website: "FDA recommendation: Escolar should not be marketed in interstate commerce" [1] (because of the possible presense of gempylotoxin, a strong purgative oil (can cause severe diarrhea)) 1. http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/HACCP/ucm078063.htm http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/HACCP/ucm078063.h...