Scientists Sniff-Test Gulf Seafood | National Geographic

along the Gulf Coast of the United

along the Gulf Coast of the United States federal and state authorities are

States federal and state authorities are

States federal and state authorities are helping the region recover from one of

helping the region recover from one of

helping the region recover from one of the largest oil spills in the planet’s

the largest oil spills in the planet’s

the largest oil spills in the planet’s history and an important part of that

history and an important part of that

history and an important part of that effort both environmentally and

effort both environmentally and

effort both environmentally and economically is ensuring that the

economically is ensuring that the

economically is ensuring that the seafood harvested from the Gulf of

seafood harvested from the Gulf of

seafood harvested from the Gulf of Mexico is safe to eat the National

Mexico is safe to eat the National

Mexico is safe to eat the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or NOAA along with the FDA and EPA is

or NOAA along with the FDA and EPA is

or NOAA along with the FDA and EPA is overseeing the safety checks NOAA ships

overseeing the safety checks NOAA ships

overseeing the safety checks NOAA ships catch fish and deliver them to the

catch fish and deliver them to the

catch fish and deliver them to the national seafood inspection laboratory

national seafood inspection laboratory

national seafood inspection laboratory in Pascagoula Mississippi for testing

in Pascagoula Mississippi for testing

in Pascagoula Mississippi for testing one of the tests involves a low-tech way

one of the tests involves a low-tech way

one of the tests involves a low-tech way to analyze the food smell Noah’s Steve

to analyze the food smell Noah’s Steve

to analyze the food smell Noah’s Steve Wilson heads the inspections he says a

Wilson heads the inspections he says a

Wilson heads the inspections he says a nose can be very discerning it could be

nose can be very discerning it could be

nose can be very discerning it could be construed that it’s nuanced but in fact

construed that it’s nuanced but in fact

construed that it’s nuanced but in fact it’s very hard science it’s it’s

it’s very hard science it’s it’s

it’s very hard science it’s it’s repeatable its statistical and with the

repeatable its statistical and with the

repeatable its statistical and with the proper training very very verifiable so

proper training very very verifiable so

proper training very very verifiable so it’s a good science the lab has been

it’s a good science the lab has been

it’s a good science the lab has been testing Gulf fish samples for months

testing Gulf fish samples for months

testing Gulf fish samples for months researchers are careful to identify each

researchers are careful to identify each

researchers are careful to identify each fish and where it came from to ensure

fish and where it came from to ensure

fish and where it came from to ensure accurate tracking of any contamination

accurate tracking of any contamination

accurate tracking of any contamination every individual fish is wrapped in

every individual fish is wrapped in

every individual fish is wrapped in aluminum foil with a label inside

aluminum foil with a label inside

aluminum foil with a label inside wrapped in

wrapped in

wrapped in garbage bags and a label outside the

garbage bags and a label outside the

garbage bags and a label outside the inspections have helped guide decisions

inspections have helped guide decisions

inspections have helped guide decisions to close portions of the gulf to fishing

to close portions of the gulf to fishing

to close portions of the gulf to fishing and to reopen others more than 200

and to reopen others more than 200

and to reopen others more than 200 million gallons of oil spilled into the

million gallons of oil spilled into the

million gallons of oil spilled into the gulf of mexico between april and

gulf of mexico between april and

gulf of mexico between april and September at the peak of the closures

September at the peak of the closures

September at the peak of the closures fishermen were prohibited from more than

fishermen were prohibited from more than

fishermen were prohibited from more than a third of area waters about 13% of

a third of area waters about 13% of

a third of area waters about 13% of federal waters still remain closed to

federal waters still remain closed to

federal waters still remain closed to fishing in the lab researchers carefully

fishing in the lab researchers carefully

fishing in the lab researchers carefully cut samples from each skinned fish some

cut samples from each skinned fish some

cut samples from each skinned fish some will be frozen and shipped to another

will be frozen and shipped to another

will be frozen and shipped to another lab in Seattle for chemical analysis

lab in Seattle for chemical analysis

lab in Seattle for chemical analysis others are destined for the smell test

others are destined for the smell test

others are destined for the smell test at the Pascagoula lab Wilson compares it

at the Pascagoula lab Wilson compares it

at the Pascagoula lab Wilson compares it to wine tasters or other experts in food

to wine tasters or other experts in food

to wine tasters or other experts in food industries he stresses the nose is

industries he stresses the nose is

industries he stresses the nose is amazingly sensitive we can get them

amazingly sensitive we can get them

amazingly sensitive we can get them sensitive to one parts per million

sensitive to one parts per million

sensitive to one parts per million contamination in the secret product this

contamination in the secret product this

contamination in the secret product this is not that easy even the experts

is not that easy even the experts

is not that easy even the experts sometimes get a false positive or a

sometimes get a false positive or a

sometimes get a false positive or a false negative so you to deal with that

false negative so you to deal with that

false negative so you to deal with that we have a panel and it’s the panel

we have a panel and it’s the panel

we have a panel and it’s the panel results the individual expertise in the

results the individual expertise in the

results the individual expertise in the statistical reliability of the panel as

statistical reliability of the panel as

statistical reliability of the panel as a number that make the difference on

a number that make the difference on

a number that make the difference on Wilson says the chemical lab tests are

Wilson says the chemical lab tests are

Wilson says the chemical lab tests are highly accurate and may be more

highly accurate and may be more

highly accurate and may be more sensitive than smell but the nose can

sensitive than smell but the nose can

sensitive than smell but the nose can catch things that technology may miss

catch things that technology may miss

catch things that technology may miss the sensory looks at the combination the

the sensory looks at the combination the

the sensory looks at the combination the acceptability unacceptability difference

acceptability unacceptability difference

acceptability unacceptability difference from normal they look at the whole

from normal they look at the whole

from normal they look at the whole picture chemistry would in fact pick on

picture chemistry would in fact pick on

picture chemistry would in fact pick on specific compounds and in explain their

specific compounds and in explain their

specific compounds and in explain their levels not necessarily acceptable or

levels not necessarily acceptable or

levels not necessarily acceptable or unacceptable s you’ve set a mark

unacceptable s you’ve set a mark

unacceptable s you’ve set a mark so far seafood coming out of the Gulf

so far seafood coming out of the Gulf

so far seafood coming out of the Gulf has been deemed safe but the public’s

has been deemed safe but the public’s

has been deemed safe but the public’s fear of contamination hits seafood

fear of contamination hits seafood

fear of contamination hits seafood markets and fishermen hard unless

markets and fishermen hard unless

markets and fishermen hard unless consumers trust that commercial

consumers trust that commercial

consumers trust that commercial fishermen are providing a clean catch

fishermen are providing a clean catch

fishermen are providing a clean catch the stigma attached to Gulf seafood may

the stigma attached to Gulf seafood may

the stigma attached to Gulf seafood may last for awhile