(SGS: Fairfield, NJ) -- With the shrimp harvesting season now underway in the Gulf of Mexico, an improvement in the seafood situation can be observed, leading to hopes within the shrimp industry of a significant rebound in production. Although the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) had—in consultation with Gulf states Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas—originally closed roughly one-third of the gulf, only 23 percent of gulf waters were closed in August to the harvesting of seafood.

Oil-related toxins known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are of key concern to consumers, retailers, and those in the food industry. High levels of these chemical contaminants may accumulate in seafood products exposed to oil, possibly affecting those who consume the food. A related concern is that consumers may also be exposed to contaminants that cause cancer or neurological damage. These outcomes are possible if seafood absorbs petroleum-based substances.

The likelihood of contamination of seafood depends on the way in which species are exposed to contaminants as well as the nature of the species.

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