Basa Fillets WarningSubmitted by Carolyn on Thu, 2009-12-10 18:04
Someone sent me this info not sure how true it is but i tend to believe it.
BASA FILLETS are a common fish in all the local food stores.
Many are snatching up the fish at supermarkets as they are very cheap.
The fish looks good but read the article and you will be shocked.
This product is from Vietnam.
Do you eat this frozen fish called BASA? ( Pangasius, Vietnamese River Cobbler, White Catfish, Gray Sole )
Industrially farmed in Vietnam along the Mekong River, BASA or Pangas or whatever they're calling it, has only been recently introduced to the French market. However, in a very short amount of time, it has grown in popularity in France. They are very, very affordable (cheap), are sold in filets with no bones and they have a neutral flavor and texture; many would compare it to cod and sole, only much cheaper. But as tasty as some people may find it, there's, in fact, something hugely unsavory about it. I hope the information provided here will serve as very important information for you and your future choices. Here's why it is better left in the shops and not on your dinner plates:
1. BASAS or Pangas are teeming with high levels of poisons and bacteria. (industrial effluents, arsenic, and toxic and hazardous by-products of the growing industrial sector, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), DDT and its metabolites (DDTs), metal contaminants, chlordane-related compounds (CHLs), hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (HCHs), and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) ).
The reason is that the Mekong River is one of the most polluted rivers on the planet and this is where basa/pangas are farmed and industries along the river dump chemicals and industrial waste directly into it. Avoid eating them because they contain high amounts of contamination. Regardless of Reports and recommendations against selling them, supermarkets still sell them, knowing full well that they are contaminated.
2. They freeze Basa/Pangas in contaminated river water.
3. BASA/Pangas are raised in Vietnam . Pangas are fed food that comes from Peru ( more on that below ), their hormones ( which are injected into the female Pangas ) come from China . ( More about that below ) and finally, they are transported from Vietnam to other countries .
4. There's nothing natural about Basa/Pangas - They're fed dead fish remnants and bones, dried and ground into a flour (from South America), manioc ( cassava ) and residue from soy and grains. This kind of nourishment doesn't even remotely resemble what they eat in nature. But what it does resemble is the method of feeding mad cows ( cows were fed cows, remember? ). What they feed basa/pangas is completely unregulated so there are most likely other dangerous substances and hormones thrown into the mix. The basa/pangas grow 4 times faster than in nature, so it makes you wonder what exactly is in their food? Your guess is as good as mine.
5. Basa/Pangas are injected with Hormones Derived from Urine. They inject female Basa/Pangas with hormones made from the dehydrated urine of pregnant women, the female Pangas grow much quicker and produce eggs faster ( one Basa/Panga can lay approximately 500,000 eggs at one time ). Essentially, they're injecting fish with hormones ( they come all of the way from a pharmaceutical company in China ) to speed up the process of growth and reproduction. That isn't good. And also consider the rest of the reasons to NOT eat BASA.
6. You get what you pay for - and then some. Don't be lured in by insanely cheap price of Basa/Pangas. Is it worth risking your health and the health of your family?
7. Buying Basa/Pangas supports unscrupulous, greedy corporations and food conglomerates that don't care about the health and well-being of human beings. They are only concerned about selling as many basa/pangas as possible to unsuspecting consumers. These corporations only care about making more money at whatever cost to the public..
8. Basa/Pangas WILL make you sick - If you don't get ill with vomiting, diarrhea and effects from severe food poisoning, congratulations, you have an iron stomach! But you're still ingesting POISON not "poisson".
Final important note: Because of the prodigious amount of availability of Basa/Pangas, be warned that they will certainly find their way into other foods like imitation crab sticks, fish sticks, fish terrines, and probably in some pet food too. Just check the Ingredient List to see if Basa is one of the ingredients. Good Luck.
You have been warned !!!
