had never been to this site before or read any adverse publicity about river cobbler so it was a bit of ahock to read all this.
I will certainly be getting back to Tesco now to complain about their selling a fish that has such a bad reputation

I work in a job where I have regular check ups including toxicology, blood tests etc. and I am in just as good health as before I started eating this fish.

All these claims from this scaremongering campaign are without any references, any scientific statement not backed up by references or supporting research is not science at all.

Keep eating this fish, it is thos in the European and western fishing industry that want to scare you into not eating cheap imported fish but to instead buy their more expensive product.

Dont be taken for a sucker!

”Only the naive and simple can be lead like sheep” your words you naive and simple person

Victoria

I am terified from all this news. I am from Romania and here to every party you go like weddings they serve a main of pangasius fish. Until 2 years ago I never heard about this fish but now it is every where.
I hope you are wrong. Any way i will not eat anymore this kind of fish.

Regards,
Adrian

But fishfarming probably has limited growth anyway… be sure to watch the excellent documentary “The End of the Line” for a global overview.

Also, most fishfarming uses growth hormones and antibiotics. Best to become vegetarian.

Pangasius catfish are, in fact, very palatable fishes which have long been recognized as a food source in some Southeast Asian countries. In the Philippines, it is raised healthily in lakes and sold in supermarkets as “cream dory” probably because the delectable fillets are similar in taste and texture to the discoid marine fish called dory or john dory.

Maybe what one should avoid is food products from countries like Vietnam.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/2009/04/a_fish_called_river_cobbler.html

Stop being alarmists and have the respect of the general public to research the article before publishing it. Some people do not spend an evening checking out what you say but take it at face value. NOT EVERYTHING YOU READ ON THE NET IS TRUE

fish? of course where is no doubt that it will be modified as everything else.
no modification-no business.

wake a fuck up! resist!

People who don’t like Pangas fish or any other food from these developing countries can always go for the Big Mac.

For those of you brave enough – watch Food Inc.

maybe we as a family of beautiful pangas and cobbler members just dont like being in your stomach ??? but we like your sisters!

enjoy xxx

speak soon
xxx

1. 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 ……..

Main quantity of pangasius are fermed in small farms around the Mekong- delta ,under strong control of water-quality . During the whole processing , the fish is controlled by veterinary inspection (NAFI).
All LOTs are controlled before leave Vietnam , and it is guaranted ( certified ), that no chemicals , parasites, bacteria found . By the arrival to any European port the European veterinary inspection controls the fish and their documentations . By any case of problems , the containers are rejected.

Lot of kinds of fish and seafoods are coming from the same waters ( for example shrimps ) since more than 20 years – not only panga.
About 90% of european shrimp consuption are coming from more or less same waters .

3. “”"Pangas are not environmentally sustainable, a most unsustainable food you could possibly eat – “Buy local” means creating the least amount of environmental harm as possible. This is the very opposite end of the spectrum of sustainable consumerism. 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 France. “”"

He says: buy local foods . OK . I buy chicken growt up in 26 daysin 1/8 sqm in France,feeded with imported chinese or polish feed, (even with genetic manipulated soya or wheel )injected with antibiothic for faster grow up, specially manipulated for big breast.
Hormones injected to female fish : it is an worldwide used method, to adjust the reproductive time. Normally it is used in France too , in all fish farms , or offshore farms. It helps for male and female fish to harmonize the spawing time only.
Hormones used in France are from China too. It is the cheapest I think.

4.”"” There’s nothing natural about 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 pangas is completely unregulated so there are most likely other dangerous substances and hormones thrown into the mix. The pangas grow at a speed light (practically!): 4 times faster than in nature…so it makes you wonder what exactly is in their food? Your guess is as good as mine.”"”"

All fish farms around the world use fish flour to feed the fish. The cow eat cow : It is not a good example, because the ( predator )fish eat really fish!
All kind of fish ( and poultry, and pig , and beef, ……) grow up much more faster when farmed, than in the nature , because of more than enough feed, high protein and fat content of feed …

So, I think ” Dont eat fish ” is just an attack against someting, wich the author doesnt know.

sleep well
xxx

Im danish and if you happen to read danish, here is some interesting sources concerning Pangasius:

http://www.ivs.life.ku.dk/Nyheder/2009/Pangasius.aspx

http://www.ivs.life.ku.dk/Nyheder/2009/~/media/Ivp/docs/pdf/Pop%20pangasius%20thuy%20260%20pdf%20%20%20Adobe%20Acrobat%20Professional.ashx

thank you…

Scaremongering or not, it so so swell we have the internet to find and eventually discuss topics like these. If we should sit on our hands, waiting for the companies (or the governmental institutions for that matter) to inform us, we would never get hear anything!

@Peter, Jo, Mal, …
Food safety is and will always be an ongoing and neverending subject of discussion, but of course noone should overreact. You neither.

It is BS. Dont be so gullible to believe this tripe.

There are no sources for this information other than what the blogger heard from “someone in the know”.

What a load of rubbish.

Each silly myth is debunked below:

1. Pangas are teeming with high levels of [poisons and bacteria (industrial effluents, arsenic and toxic & 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 reasons are that the Mekong River is one of the most polluted rivers on the planet and this is where pangas are farmed and industries along the river dump chemicals and industrial waste directly into it.

Reality:

The Mekong River is not heavily polluted as suggested. The water quality is monitored by the Vietnamese authorities and the results are published. The river cobbler is grown in ponds alongside the river and the water is pumped intro settling ponds first to remove any silt.

Fish from every pond are tested before harvest for both microbiological and chemical contaminants and the Vietnamese authorities carry out random sampling all checks are readily available from the sites at any time. Tesco, and their suppliers have audited the farms and we are confident that Panga is of excellent quality and totally safe to eat.

2. They freeze Pangas in contaminated river water:

Reality:

The river cobbler aka Panga is filleted and frozen in modern factories that are of an extremely high standard and they use clean drinking quality water to wash the fish during the process. The factories have to meet the same high standards that we require of our UK factories and they have all been independently audited and approved.

3. Pangas are not environmentally sustainable, a most unsustainable food you could possibly eat – “Buy local” means creating the least amount of environmental harm as possible. This is the very opposite of the spectrum of sustainable consumerism. Pangas are fed food that comes from Peru, their hormones come from China and finally, they are transported from Vietnam. That’s not just a giant carbon foot print, that’s a carbon continent of a foot print.

Reality:

Panga is farmed in the areas where they are also caught in the wild. The farming operation provides employment to many thousands of people who would otherwise not have the same quality of work and life. The farms are much more efficient and use much less energy than fishing. The fish are then prepared in local factories providing more local employment and value to the local economy. The local Vietnamese people are highly skilled in hand preparing the fillets and do the work much more efficiently than it would be done in Europe by machine. The working conditions are very good and the rates of pay are higher than the alternative employment in the area. A very small proportion of the feed is made from the sustainably managed South American fisheries that ensures the river cobbler have both a sustainable diet and that the feed contains the best quality nutrients including this important Omega 3 rich fish.

Shipping the feed materials and the finished product by sea in large container ships has a relatively low carbon foot print per tonne of finished product. The arguments about where our food is produced and the relative impacts and costs are complex and a responsible retailer has to balance the benefits of farming/processing efficiency, impact from transport and the benefits for the local economy.

4. There’s nothing natural about Pangas – They’re fed dead fish remnants and bones, dried and ground into 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 pangas is completely unregulated so there are most likely other dangerous substances and hormones thrown into the mix. The pangas grow at a light speed (practically!); 4 times faster than in nature…..so it makes you wonder what exactly is in their food?

Reality:

The feed is of very high quality and its production (by large reputable specialist international companies) is heavily regulated and monitored. The diet is made from sustainably harvested fish and vegetables. The process of making cooked and dried fish meal is safe and produces a highly nutritious part of the feed. They never use river cobbler to make river cobbler feed, it is all from sustainably managed fisheries in South America so the analogy with cows is completely incorrect. The feed does not contain any growth promoting hormones or any ‘dangerous substances’, these are unfounded comments.

River cobbler grows better in farms simply because it is fed consistently nutritious diets at the optimum feeding rate for growth without waste.

5. Pangas are injected with Hormones Derived from Urine – I don’t know how someone came up with this one but they’ve discovered that if they inject female pangas with hormones made from the dehydrated urine of pregnant women, the female Pangas grow much quicker and produce eggs faster (one Panga can lay approximately 500,00 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.

Reality:

Panga in the farms are not injected with any hormones so you need not be concerned.

The river cobbler grown in hatcheries, to produce the eggs needed to stock the farms are sometimes injected with hormones to stimulate spawning, not growth. This practice is regulated and safe and no hormones are carried over into the eggs. This practice is common with all species of fish farming including Salmon.

6. Pangas will make you sick

Reality:

Panga is safe to eat and free from the bacteria associated with food poisoning. The fish are tested prior to harvest to prove they are free from contamination then the fillets re tested after processing. Tesco suppliers take random samples and they have proved the fish to be of very good microbiological quality.

easy!!!

Do you think France is so naive that they do not know about this? Don’t you think France have any method to verify any imported food?

Please be logic before posting anything like this in your blog and appeal everyone not to use it. It’s silly. If you suspect Vietnamese food, just report it to French government and ask them to act accordingly.

I admit that what you said above may be true, BUT it is one side of a face. Do you know that Vietnamese farmer also industrialize their agriculture in order to export food properly to EU, US and Japanese market? It’s very easy and simple to go google and look for it.

I think you are a knowledgeable person, but this blog does not show that.

Its a hoax by European (and other) fish producers to manipulate gullible and naive people to buy their more expensive fish than fish imported from overseas.

The fish do not live in the river. They are raised in strictly monitored clean water ponds. Fish grown in the river are for local consumption because locals cannot afford the cost of export quality fish.

The entire content of the email is a hoax. If you read something but dont know the source of the information then you should assume it isnt true.

Im a Nigerian prince by the way and my father recently died in a plane crash. I am unable to open a bank account in my country due to an argument over my 30 million dollar inheritence. if you can open a bank account and send me your details we will split the 30 million.

I wrote it so it must be true!

I love the stuff and had it in excess of 30 times with no ill effect’s.

It’s amazing what people can convince them selves that they have got after reading a article.

Some of you looked it up on the internet because you’d never heard of it before, and came across all sorts of horror stories claiming it’s fill of toxins, such as arsenic, toxic metals and harmful pesticides.

Lauren Antony from Lanarkshire emailed us to see if we could investigate this further and enlighten the nation, so we had a go.

Five tests
We sent a fish we bought in Asda to a lab, where the scientists did five tests to see if they could find some of the things the internet reports suggested they would.

The lab told us they couldn’t find detectable levels of any of those substances – which to all intent and purposes mean they weren’t there.

Now, as we only tested one fish, we can’t say the scare stories are a load of cobblers – but we found no reason why anyone should worry.

The supermarkets say they’ve done plenty of their own research too, and maintain that they wouldn’t sell any product that they weren’t confident in anyway.

take care peopleszzzzzzzz -
and membaa
DONT EAT THAT FISH its grosssseyyyyyy eurghhhhhh

Also have in mind that as long as you don’t grab a fishing pole and catch a fish from crystal clear river, you will still eat supermarket fish, grown in large fishtank.

Don’t think I’ll be buying any.

Did anyone else have visions of pregnant women in China strapped to some bizarre urine collection device?

Sensationalism and panic mongering should be left to the ‘real journalists’…

Heaven help us all.

just i want to thank you for your respond you are example of pure human ,,

thanks too much for this topic also ,,

i hope every one know about it ,,

In recent years, spreading the Net wrong Czech language journal article allegedly written by the terrible Pangas captive in Vietnam, which is full of all possible residues of malachite green and hormones from outsiders. In a careful reading, perhaps the sensible people understand that this is a classic libel.

However seménko mistrust has been sown and we have already responded to several questions, such as the school canteen operators, as is real. State Veterinary Administration CR zorganizovla two control actions in fish. One is specifically concerned Pangas originating from Vietnam, where the samples were laboratory tested for the presence of steroids, chlorinated pesticides and PCBs and chemical elements. All previous samples with negative results.

The second action aimed at deceiving customers in terms of labeling will be evaluated in the coming days. However, today may be noted that in 4 products Pangas were identified deficiencies in the description, but it was not oo health threats. It was the absence of content polyphosphates on the packaging (albeit below the limit) and found lower meat content than the manufacturer declared.

Pangas is a freshwater fish originally from Southeast Asia, from which we also frozen imports. It is characterized by fine white meat and admits quite popular. If customers have to put something out, and the price, in the sense that in the case of frozen fish for the price of meat not buy water. If fish are frozen and not otherwise identified, may contain water up to 5%. If the so-called glazing, which is to protect the fish meat from drying out cold, or water added to them with additives, the meat of fish contain more water. And the customer shall be informed. Some manufacturers therefore packs the fish state: “Without the added water”, here the customer can be sure that there is indeed water up to a maximum of 5%.

So we conclude if we released the fish at the market, ie market network must meet the conditions of health and how health supervision authorities keep being convinced this is true even of that Pangas!

Josef Duben,
printing. speakers SVS ČR

————————————————– ——————————

Observations on the report from Eurofrigo

Good day,

the matter pangasius:

- It is really a freshwater fish, farmovaná in Asia, particularly in Vietnam.

- Is fed pellets, as well as all farmované marine and freshwater fish (salmon in Norway, sea bream-dorado in Turkey, etc.)

- Water in ponds, where pangasius farmován the various arms of the Mekong and must be changed every day,

- Malachite green is a banned substance, used previously against zaplísnění gills of fish (which was previously also sladkovod. Fish in Europe, later forbidden), in the past for some supplies Pangas. in Europe, captured these substances and goods returned to Vietnam. In the last 2 years has not heard about it (see the recent test published in the MFD – the emerald green – all negative). Farm and processing factory are under the control of veterinarians from the EU and the EU have a reg number.

- Pangasius as freshwater fish (like carp, ..) does not, of course, many useful substances (iodine, -) as the fish of the sea, but not in any way harmful. Testing is done both in the ports of entry into the EU, random state vet. CR management.

- What is the amount of nutrition. substances (especially protein) is the Pangas. quite well, but beware, the main problem (and it is the same for marine fish !!!!) content is intentionally added chemicals (polyphosphate, citrate), which binds 20 to 30% of artificially added water within the fish meat in order to reduce the price. Then, of course, a customer who buys a fish eat less protein. The customer must check the composition on the packaging, if there is any chemistry (E.), they must reckon with the fact that it buys a lot more water, then, that in addition to the labeling of water in% – the amount of ice that is naglazovaný filleting, buys a further 20-30% of water inside the fish.

- Our company is just one of the importers pangasia, but unlike other import about 90% pangasia entirely without chemical additives, which have marked on the packaging.

Best regards

V. Prokop
Eurofrigo CZ

————————————————– ——————————

Observations on the report from Nowaco

As you know, pangasius is now one of the most popular fish on the Czech market. It is, in addition to its relatively affordable price, given the fact that the fish fillets are white, have no bones and are not feeling the dovetail.

Since it is a freshwater fish, it is logical that it include not the typical attributes of seafood – a high content of iodine, omega 3 fatty acids, and other health-promoting substances.

Another important factor is the fact that it is a fish, originating essentially from farmed game animals, nestravuje therefore, as is the case in wild caught species. Fish grow to the “selling” the size of roughly 1 year. They act only on the farms in Vietnam, it is obvious that they are imported into Europe only in the frozen state.

It is logical that the fish of the sea, consuming the plankton, are characterized by much better attributes and their consumption is much more appropriate and beneficial to the human body.

Do pangasia further for cheaper goods added additives (additives) that the fish muscle build more water. These are mainly polyphosphates (E 452). There is a standard set by the EU, which is 0.5% weight.
However, if the standard is exceeded, such a product can be considered harmful. Recently, by the way, had to withdraw several products from the market because it was found that polyphosphates contain more than allowed. In addition to the newly polyphosphates used other substances used to establish additional water, such as citric acid and baking soda, to ensure that the white color and pull the fish fillets taste.
There being no limits and can say that compared polyfosfátům is to man a more friendly way goods cheaper.
It is true that the consumer should be informed of all substances that have been used and should have to learn the composition of the product.

Our position is clearly favor seafood (such as cod or saithe štikozbuec), both because of their vastly greater benefits to the human body and also due to the fact that we offer fillets of marine fish with no additives and only so-called protective glaze, which prevents vymrzání filet and never exceeding 10%.

Company Nowaco of course closely examines the quality control and health of their products. Raw materials are permanently controlled by the sensory laboratory. Our packer of fresh and frozen fish is fully certified (HACCP, BRC, IFS), and is under constant veterinary supervision.

ing Predrag Bilic
guarantee the purchase of fish
NOWACO United Republic s.r.o.

If so many fish were so contaminated why are they so healthy. I often see huge fish kills in Australia from substances such as detergent spills or even once a milk spill into a pond. So ask your goodselves why… why this Bassa scare.

Now I will tell you. As a fisherman I once privy to a meeting of international seafood distributors and Vietnam was chosen at this meeting to be targeted as the source of all things bad in the fishing export import game… By doing this the heat would off the local industries and keep local fish prices inflated. It was good plan and it has worked.

So there you have it… its all about greed. money and more greed.

Find me an authority who can show and prove that the Vietnamese supplied Bassa is any more contaminated than our local Bream or tuna and I will eat my hat.. You cant because this fable is designed to remove dollars from your pocket not contamination from the seas and rivers.

Bassa is in fact a wonderful fish to eat and is so clean and palatable. FM Aussie Master Fisherman.

Now they do check things out!

A fish called river cobbler

Post categories: Food and drink

Rob Unsworth – editor | 15:56 UK time, Tuesday, 7 April 2009

Watchdog has had several emails about a fish called river cobbler which is on sale at Asda and Tesco. It’s also on sale at Sainsbury’s where it’s called basa. It comes from Vietnam and its proper name is pangasius.

Some of you looked it up on the internet because you’d never heard of it before, and came across all sorts of horror stories claiming it’s fill of toxins, such as arsenic, toxic metals and harmful pesticides.

Lauren Antony from Lanarkshire emailed us to see if we could investigate this further and enlighten the nation, so we had a go.

Five tests
We sent a fish we bought in Asda to a lab, where the scientists did five tests to see if they could find some of the things the internet reports suggested they would.

The lab told us they couldn’t find detectable levels of any of those substances – which to all intent and purposes mean they weren’t there.

Now, as we only tested one fish, we can’t say the scare stories are a load of cobblers – but we found no reason why anyone should worry.

The supermarkets say they’ve done plenty of their own research too, and maintain that they wouldn’t sell any product that they weren’t confident in anyway.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/2009/04/a_fish_called_river_cobbler.html

ITS FINE – Tesco’s Cobbler is farmed int he uk, some said Surrey.

http://mattsteinglass.wordpress.com/2008/05/19/thou-blackguard-thou-slanderest-my-fish/

The EU fishery system..

The one that makes fisherman throw dead fish back into the sea if they overcatch, rather than reduce their next catch

You’re having a laugh son!!

Whilst I do not doubt the validity of the illness claims, the issue is over a sustainable food source to meet consumer needs. I greatly believe in the EU and its regulations. fish like this are needed to enable us to continue to eat fish products. I would not be surprised to find it in many commercial products as well as high street chip shops.

Unless proof is presented that this fish is poisonous, I will continue to cook and eat it. And there is the point. I choose this fish as others can, and have stated, choose not to buy it.

As well as meeting our needs as consumers, this fish represents employment for a regulated industry and the country that produces it. We are buying it. We are the reason it is on sale. So, we are responsible for whatever happens as a consequence of providing the neccessary market for this product. Chicken is another example of Asia producing a lot of what we eat, most times, unknowingly. However, it is easy to complain about something that one does not like, after learning about its origins. It is a wholley different case to deal with a perceived problem and present an alternative.

A point raised earlier was that this fish has a large carbon footprint. Well, as a consumer, I know I am responsible for a lot of these emmissions by purchasing clothes clearly indicating their Asian origin. I use gadgets that can only come from the East and I drive vehicles whose components were sourced from all over the world. We are the reason for the carbon issues. I do not see third world nations devouring what we do in consumables, but we are happy that they make them for us, and we know exactly how much in wages they are paid and in what conditions they live and work.

I acknowledge my responsibility in providing a market for this cheap fish. I will continue to eat it and am happy to have found a fish that replaces the once common but now expensive alternatives. I think that this fish represents the only currently viable solution to our fish needs and can, myself, suggest no other practical way at this time. However, I do dream that one day we might have a truly International Union, supporting each other and working in harmony. But we first need world peace and with only one Miss World to fight for it, are a long way off yet.

I am here n Vietnam right nopw and toured a fish processing facility. FDA registered, highly laborious process to keep facilities clean and the finished product is very high quality. The world will be eatimng a lot more of this fish….a competitive alternative to Tilapia.

If you have a bad experience on this fish it is the RETAILER MISHANDLING THE PRODUCT – OR – THE RETAILER BUYING FROM AN UNKNOWN UNCERTIFIED SUPPLIER!!!!

New item on the menu: Fresh crap with brown sauce.