Research at the University of Pittsburgh sheds light on how organic pollutants penetrate our food supply via their feed. The ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology published research by Carla Ng, and her team. Their investigation analyzed the presence of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), a flame retardant found in many consumer goods in China, Thailand, and Vietnam due to low regulatory standards. PBDEs are endocrine disruptors and can lead to developmental effects in children.
With the globalization of the food trade, animal feed is being sourced from areas where advanced food safety regulations are lacking. Researchers found that in clean and well-regulated environments, contaminated feed can be more significant in determining the PBDE content of salmon fillets that the location of the farm. Future goals for the group are to use study findings to help promote safer regulatory practices for fish farming operations in the future.