Author Topic: Tilapia a Dirty Fish?  (Read 4947 times)

lizzzi

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Tilapia a Dirty Fish?
« on: May 19, 2017, 03:32:35 PM »
I've eaten a ton of Aldi's tilapia--it is one of my go-to's for a quick easy meal. One of my neighbors warned me off--says it is raised in filth, etc., etc.--and internet research seems to lean toward this being an unhealthy fish. What does this community think?

startingsmall

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Re: Tilapia a Dirty Fish?
« Reply #1 on: May 19, 2017, 03:37:44 PM »
I never used to be a big fish-eater, but Kevin Fitzgerald (the vet on the old Emergency Vets TV show) actually turned me into tilapia. Not only is it tasty, but its ability to basically live off trash makes it a very sustainable fish for aquaculture. Hard to argue with that logic.

trashmanz

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Re: Tilapia a Dirty Fish?
« Reply #2 on: May 19, 2017, 03:39:50 PM »
All commercial meat is very filthy.

clarkfan1979

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Re: Tilapia a Dirty Fish?
« Reply #3 on: May 19, 2017, 03:42:05 PM »
I stopped listening to my neighbor's about 8 years ago. You could make the same argument for pork. However, I love pork green chili, BBQ pork sandwiches and pork tacos.

Jtrey17

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Re: Tilapia a Dirty Fish?
« Reply #4 on: May 19, 2017, 03:43:16 PM »
It's disgusting-stay away. I used to love those cheap bags of frozen tilapia.

Spork

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Re: Tilapia a Dirty Fish?
« Reply #5 on: May 19, 2017, 03:46:50 PM »
Most fish that is "farm raised" is raised in filth.  It often gives it a muddy taste.  "Atlantic Salmon" is also generally a keyword that means farm raised.  (There is a wild Atlantic salmon, but it's been fished to the point that it isn't really commercially viable any longer.)

I am also very skeptical of any food that comes from China.  I really try not to be a xenophobe... but I guess in this case I am.  Almost anywhere else: I'm good.  Unfortunately, I see LOTS of fish from China.


CNM

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Re: Tilapia a Dirty Fish?
« Reply #6 on: May 19, 2017, 03:51:19 PM »
My question- so what?  Is there evidence that farm raised Tilapia makes people sick?  I did a very brief googling and there doesn't seem to be anything particularly dangerous about Tilapia, other than the bacteria that is present in most raw meats anyway.

Spork

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Re: Tilapia a Dirty Fish?
« Reply #7 on: May 19, 2017, 04:24:44 PM »
My question- so what?  Is there evidence that farm raised Tilapia makes people sick?  I did a very brief googling and there doesn't seem to be anything particularly dangerous about Tilapia, other than the bacteria that is present in most raw meats anyway.

For me: The taste is very inconsistent.  The range is from "delicious" to "tastes like a stagnant muddy creek".  It has never killed me.

Since I have not found a way to predict the taste, I eat something else.

Frankies Girl

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Re: Tilapia a Dirty Fish?
« Reply #8 on: May 19, 2017, 04:43:27 PM »
I usually buy Swai, which also has a poor reputation, but tastes pretty darn good and is pretty cheap to boot.
Never had any issues with it and have purchased it at Kroger, HEB and Aldi stores - tastes the same no matter what.

Axecleaver

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Re: Tilapia a Dirty Fish?
« Reply #9 on: May 19, 2017, 08:02:35 PM »
Compared to what? It's pretty much bottom shelf in terms of fish protein, you'll have a better experience with almost any other fish at the market. But it's better than tofu. Problem with tilapia is the texture. But it's better than corporate farm raised chicken and pork.

HipGnosis

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Re: Tilapia a Dirty Fish?
« Reply #10 on: May 20, 2017, 10:37:47 AM »
According to a couple of studies - even if you pay a bit more for 'better' fish, you've got a 30 - 80% chance of getting tilapia (or similar) anyway.
Google; fish fraud

wenchsenior

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Re: Tilapia a Dirty Fish?
« Reply #11 on: May 20, 2017, 10:55:44 AM »
Pretty much all commercial farmed fish is 'dirty', but so is most commercially raised meat.

I don't like Tilapia because it tastes bad a lot of the time, like pond water.

Having grown up eating fresh-caught centrarchid fish in the Great Lakes area, perhaps I am just picky.

We eat a lot of fish, and we just spring the extra $ for sustainable-harvest, mostly northern Pacific, species. (I do occasionally eat amberjack when I'm on the southern coast, but that is too laden with toxic metals to eat regularly even when it is sustainably harvested).

lizzzi

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Re: Tilapia a Dirty Fish?
« Reply #12 on: May 20, 2017, 12:51:26 PM »
Thanks for all the good replies--much appreciated!

 

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