The SushiCATs Miriam Ruth Yap Adres, Marius Weber, Nam Hoang Tran, Peijun Zhu,

Beda Joanel Thibaut Atome & Phan Viet Hung

THE GLOBALIZATION OF SUSHI: A SHORT REPORT ON ITS IMPACT ON HEALTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Introduction

Before the invention of the refrigerator, sushi was a way to preserve fish. The preparation involved packing layers of cleaned and salted fish between layers of rice, then left to ferment for three years. The process allowed the fish to pickle, thus preserving the fish. (Hsin-I Feng, 2012; Zschock, 2005). The recipe evolved to funa-zashi, made with fresh water carp, then to mana-nare, which reduced the fermentation time from 3 years to days. In 1650, Doctor Masumoto Yoshichi started adding vinegar to rice to improve the flavor, but it was not until 1824, when a chef named Hanaya Yoshi started to commercialize sushi. (Zschock, 2005). The origins of sushi started with these practices and grew into what we now know as sushi today. Sushi has become a big part of Japanese cuisine and is closely identified with Japanese culture. With its consumption and popularity increasing over the past few decades, sushi has been re-invented many times over not only in Japan but worldwide. With nigiri, sliced raw fish on vinegar rice, and maki, rice rolled over raw fish with a seaweed outer layer, sushi comes in all shapes and sizes. Outside Japan, each place modify and improve it based on their own tastes. What started off as “Japanese” has now become globalized. Due to the demand, this simple dish is now dependent on many countries and industries around the world. Tuna caught in Spain is flown to Tokyo to be auctioned off and then shipped to New York and Hong Kong. “That’s the magic of global sushi” (Bestor, 2001). In this short report, the team will evaluate this phenomenon’s impact on consumers’ health and on the environment.

Impact on Health

Recent evidence that fish consumption favorably affects coronary heart disease mortality, especially no sudden death from myocardial infarction (MI), has been reported in a 30-year follow-up of the Chicago Western Electric Study. Men who consumed 35g or more of fish daily compared with those who consumed none had a relative risk of death from CHD of 0.62 and a relative risk of no sudden death from MI of 0.33 (Appel, Penny, & William, 2002). The World Health Organization and North Atlantic Treaty Organization have made formal population-based dietary recommendations for omega-3 fatty acids. Typical recommendations are 0.3 to 0.5 g/d of EPADHA and 0.8 to 1.1 g/d of -linolenic acid (IOM, 2002). A recommendation made by the AHA Dietary Guidelines is to include at least two servings of fish per week (particularly fatty fish) whilst a dietary (i.e., food-based) approach to increasing

omega-3 fatty acid intake is preferable (Appel, Penny, & William, 2002). Recommendations and findings like these have contributed to the growing popularity of sushi globally, however the question remains, is sushi (looked at from the “raw fish perspective”) beneficial to the health of human beings? Though there are a multitude of research available about the health benefits of fish intake and the increase of omega-3 and 6 fatty acids in diets, however, the consumption of raw fish and its effect on the human body is not sufficient to make a concrete conclusion that sushi is beneficial for one’s health. Feng (2012) argues that sushi and sashimi contain raw ingredients and exhibit distinct features in the production process that are associated with increased microbiological hazards, they are definitely unsuitable for people with impaired immunity, including pregnant women, the elderly, and those with a chronic illness such as cancer. For people with generally good health who wish to consume sushi, they should still remain alert by identifying reliable and reputable operators and to choose the sushi and sashimi that are in good condition. On another hand, there have been evidences of mercury found in aquatic life, but particularly on an alarming level in tuna. A high level of mercury in the human body can cause cancer, inflammatory disorders, asthma, just to name a few. Aside from this, there is a possibility for consumers to ingest parasitic worms especially if the sushi is poorly-prepared (Anderson, P.D., and J.B. Wiener, 1995).

There are two types of parasitic worms which can infect humans: Anisakiasis which is found in saltwater fish such as cod, plaice, rockfish; and larvae of diphyllobothrium, found in freshwater fish such as pike, perch and anadromous (fresh-saltwater) fish such as salmon. During commercial freezing fish is frozen solid at a temperature of -35°F and stored at this temperature or below for a minimum of 15 hours to kill parasites. Most home freezers have temperatures at 0°F to 10°F and may not be cold enough to kill parasites because it can take up to 7 days at -4°F or below to kill parasites, especially in large fish (BC Centre for Disease Control, 2013). With the globalization of sushi, fishing methods have also changed. To meet demands, fishermen are focusing on “farmed fish”, particularly for salmon. However, farmed salmon can “accumulate higher levels of toxins such as PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) ‒ a banned toxin found in materials like asbestos. This can cause risks to consumers, especially young children and women of childbearing age, such as cognitive and behavioral impairments (Tarbox, B.M. 2010).

Sushi Nabe, 2016Nigiri sushi

Impact on Environment

A 500-pound tuna is caught off the coast of New England or Spain, flown thousands of miles to Tokyo, sold for tens of thousands of dollars to Japanese buyers (Bester, 2000). There is no doubt that the globalization makes the trade more convenient to meet the demand for raw fish, however, this convenience is taking a toll on aquatic life, particularly for tuna. In 2014, world per capita fish supply reached a new record high of 20 kg (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2016). Because of the numerous studies touting the benefits of Omega 3 in diet, the demand for salmon, for example, surged. According to Jason Clay, vice president of markets at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), "Over-fishing has predated the interest in omega-3 and healthy eating. But now there are places where it is certainly going to accentuate it." (Stoddard, 2007). For example, in 2014, China, as the main fisher producer and largest exporter, exported fishes about US 20,980M US dollars. This amounts to a 12% increase since 2004. And, America, as the biggest importer, imported fish up to US 20,317M US dollars in 2014,up by 5% since 2004 (FAQ, 2016). Meeting this increase in demand without taking steps to “replenish” the supply or give time for fish to maintain a healthy population, may break the aquatic ecosystem greatly. Interestingly enough, on another aspect of globalization’s impact, sushi changed the people’s cognition to the perform form of food; on the other hand, it also meets the characteristics of Western culture, which means fast and simple eating. This point also gives expression to the takeout service of sushi. Most sushi spots are delighted to make takeout because it gives their chefs something to do during their downtime (Grumdahl,2009). When people choose to takeout sushi, it means plastic or package will be used, creating more trash.

While the negative effects of fishing is glaring, there have been some benefits, however minute they may seem. Sustainability efforts have been put in place to protect tuna and salmon population. Alaska salmon are among the fisheries that have been certified as sustainable by the British-based Marine Stewardship Council. It uses stringent criteria for a fishery to get its seal of approval and the right to bear its eco-label. It is in everyone’s interest to protect something of value ‒ the more valuable it is, the higher the likelihood of it being protected. Gunnar Knapp, a professor of economics at the University of Alaska's Institute of Social and Economic Research, said in an interview with Reuters that the “high demand and prices gave people an incentive to protect vital salmon habitat such as spawning grounds in rivers from other industries such as logging and mining” (Stoddard, 2007).

Steve Cadman, 2006Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo

Conclusion

After critically analysing the ‘Psychological contract’ model, the team concluded that if the model is utilised without any bias and assumptions, the model can be applied to team SushiCAT. Clarifying each member’s expectations during the process of laying down the ground rules already contributed towards the productivity of the team for the first assignment. Furthermore, the team ensured each other that all critics during the CAT sessions will be relevant and constructive in order to ensure development of the entire team’s ability to critically analyse and think about information. If the team can “deliver on this deal”, the trust will evolve and each member will develop the “desire to stay.”

References

Bestor, T. C. (2000). How sushi went global. Foreign Policy, (121), 54.

Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl. Minnesota Monthly 4,(Mar 2009): 52-63.Moveable Feast.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2016). The state of world fisheries and aquaculture 2016 in brief.

Hsin-I Feng, C. (2012). The tale of sushi: History and regulations. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 11(2), 205-220. doi:10.1111/j.1541-4337.2011.00180.x

Mozaffarian, D. and E.A. Rimm. (2006). Fish Intake, Contaminants, and Human Health: Evaluating the Risks and Benefits. Journal of the American Medical Association. 296(15): 1885-1899.

Anderson, P.D., and J.B. Wiener. 1995. “Eating Fish.” In Risk versus Risk: Tradeoffs in Protecting Health and the Environment, edited by J.D. Graham and J.B. Wiener, 104‒123. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. ATSDR. 1999. “Toxicological Profile for Mercury.”

Stoddard, E. (11 July 2007). Eating fish: Good for heart, bad for environment? Retrieved October 29, 2016, from http://www.reuters.com/article/us-fish-omega-idUSN0926310820070812

Theodore C. Bestor. Foreign Policy,NO.121.(Nov.-Dec.,2000),pp.54-63.How sushi went global.

Tarbox, B.M. 2010. Toxic Fish and Sushi Investigation. Los Angeles, CA: GotMercury.org.

Zschock, M. D. (1 January 2005). The Little Black Book of Sushi: The Essential Guide to the World of Sushi. New York, USA: Peter Pauper Press, Inc. Retrieved October 29 October 2016, 2 0 1 6 , f r o m h t t p s : / / b o o k s . g o o g l e . c o . j p / b o o k s ?id=1AuE8_v9YP8C&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false