Indian Company Allegedly Supplies US With Contaminated Shrimps, Possibly Violating Food Safety Law

By Giuliano De Leon

Apr 04, 2024 02:42 AM EDT

Indian Company Allegedly Supplies US With Contaminated Shrimps, Possibly Violating Food Safety Law
India's shrimps are displayed at a supermarket, on December 21, 2012 at the Kremlin-Bicetre, outside Paris.
(Photo : JOEL SAGET/AFP via Getty Images)

An Indian company allegedly supplies the US with contaminated shrimp, as revealed by an American whistleblower who worked as a manager for the Indian shrimp processing plant.

The former manager of Choice Canning, a major Indian shrimp supplier to the US, said that he became disturbed by what he saw when he started working for the company.

Indian Company Allegedly Supplies US With Contaminated Shrimps

NBC News said that they investigated in collaboration with a non-profit journalism organization, The Outlaw Ocean Project.

In their investigation, Joshua Farinella revealed the disturbing things he witnessed while working for the Indian shrimp company. He started working for Choice Canning in October 2023.

This job was supposed to be life-changing for the whistleblower since the salary offered was $300,000, which was twice what he was earning before.

However, while still the Choice Canning manager, he discovered that the Indian firm operated unsanitary off-side peeling sheds. The shrimp supplier also approved the export of shrimp contaminated with antibiotics.

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A Violation of US Food Safety Law

What Joshua Farinella revealed about Choice Canning clearly violates the US food safety law. Aside from the unsanitary shrimp processing operations, he also shared how the Indian company treats its employees.

The former Choice Canning manager said that migrant workers slept in overcrowded dorms infested with bedbugs. The Indian firm also restricted them from leaving the walled-off compound.

Aside from this, Choice Canning also rarely provided its migrant employees with a day off. All these revelations are also a big deal for Americans since India is considered America's leading shrimp supplier, as reported by The Associated Press.

India is estimated to supply 40% of the shrimp Americans consume. Choice Canning's case is particularly concerning since this Indian shrimp company supplies shrimp to Walmart, ShopRite, Aldi, and other major American grocery chains.

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