How do authorities determine the safety of seafood that may be exposed to an oil spill?
Standard analytical tests involving sophisticated laboratory instrumentation are used to detect a variety of potential chemical contaminants associated with water, sediments and seafood that have been exposed to oil spills. Likewise, special sensory methods have been developed and successfully used by trained experts to detect certain aromas in seafood exposed to oil spills. The associated contaminants emit strong and easily detected aromas such that sensory monitoring can be cost-effective and more immediate than the more prolonged analytical procedures. Together, the analytical tests and sensory methods have provided proven measures for product safety. These methods are available through the responsible federal and state programs and various academic research programs that are being positioned for response about the Gulf region.
Related Questions
- What methods does the Division of Oil and Public Safety use to determine if the gasoline and diesel fuel dispensers are delivering the correct quantity?
- How will the oil spill affect the seafood we consume in the United States?
- Could Additional Safety Device Have Prevented Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill?
