Selling Raw shrimp as cooked

[Ozark_Sophist]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? MO

A major retailer based in Northwest Arkansas is selling Raw shrimp as precooked with a serving suggestion of thaw and serve. Only one size and package weight is mislabeled as precooked, when in fact the front of the package says, and the shrimp itself, is obviously raw.

Noticed at New Years. Had one manager said you can eat raw shrimp and not get sick. Had another manager tell me the shrimp were cooked--that they only looked raw because they were shell-on.

They have pulled the product twice in front of me, only to put it back up. There is no difference between the shrimp or ingredients of the particular size and weight that is mislabeled and the six other sizes/weights of raw shrimp in the store. Those bags all say cook before eating.

Anyone know how I wake this retailer up to the potential for harm?

[cyjeff]

Originally Posted by Ozark_Sophist

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? MO

A major retailer based in Northwest Arkansas is selling Raw shrimp as precooked with a serving suggestion of thaw and serve. Only one size and package weight is mislabeled as precooked, when in fact the front of the package says, and the shrimp itself, is obviously raw.

Noticed at New Years. Had one manager said you can eat raw shrimp and not get sick. Had another manager tell me the shrimp were cooked--that they only looked raw because they were shell-on.

They have pulled the product twice in front of me, only to put it back up. There is no difference between the shrimp or ingredients of the particular size and weight that is mislabeled and the six other sizes/weights of raw shrimp in the store. Those bags all say cook before eating.

Anyone know how I wake this retailer up to the potential for harm?

Eat one, get sick and sue them.

[bellestar]

Try calling the customer service number on the back of the bag itself. Then the manufacturer may issue a recall.

Unless the manufacturer knows there is an issue, the chances of them staying off of the shelf could be slim. The boxes will continue to ship to the store and the people who work there will continue to put them on the shelf.

[cyjeff]

Just kidding... I don't want you to get sick.

Have you called the FDA? Reading the FDA guidelines on cooked, precooked and raw food is like reading a thousand pages of stereo instructions written by a dyslexic MIT grad.

I would call or write them and ask.

[Ozark_Sophist]

Originally Posted by bellestar

Try calling the customer service number on the back of the bag itself. Then the manufacturer may issue a recall.

Unless the manufacturer knows there is an issue, the chances of them staying off of the shelf could be slim. The boxes will continue to ship to the store and the people who work there will continue to put them on the shelf.

The distributer is also the retailer. I've made calls to corporate headquarters. Everything gets referred to the buyer.

I've tried to follow the line of goverment oversight for seafood. It's like the FDA and USDA point fingers at each other.

[cyjeff]

Originally Posted by Ozark_Sophist

The distributer is also the retailer. I've made calls to corporate headquarters. Everything gets referred to the buyer.

I've tried to follow the line of goverment oversight for seafood. It's like the FDA and USDA point fingers at each other.

PM me the name of the manufacturer.

Only in a couple of cases (Like, for instance, Kroger) is the manufacturer and retailer the same.

In most cases, a third party will produce the food under a label agreement (private label) with the retailer... including, possibly, a fictitious manufacturing name.

[cyjeff]

I hate to say it, but maybe my joke WAS the way to do it...

Rather than you... invite some friends over for a "Shrimp and Beer" party. Well, maybe not "friends".

[bellestar]

Well, the USDA was my next answer, because I know with them it is a 10,000 dollar fine for every mislable when it comes to raw, cooked or country of origin. Your local health department maybe?

[Antigone*of*Greece]

Going to the press might work ~ with this peanut fiasco going on, this is a hot topic.

A gentle nudge from the 6 o'clock news might get the ball rolling.

[cyjeff]

Originally Posted by bellestar

Well, the USDA was my next answer, because I know with them it is a 10,000 dollar fine for every mislable when it comes to raw, cooked or country of origin. Your local health department maybe?

Locals might be an option.

Local news.. maybe... but that almost never works.

[bellestar]

The people who sell the cleaning chemicals to the deli, bakery, and seafood departments in major retail stores also come in monthly to do a "QA" (quality assurance) They check out of dates, temperatures, cleanliness, stock rotation, and things of that nature. They also check the cooked, raw, and country of origin signing in seafood departments.

With wal-mart the company is called Kay Chemicals. I'm sure this retailers QA guy would also be interested in mislabled seafood.