Genetic tests could reveal whether Lowcountry restaurants serve local shrimp

MCCLELLANVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) – One genetic testing company is working on proving whether or not shrimp at some Lowcountry restaurants is actually local or really from imported waters.

Genetic testing company SeaD Consulting’s Founder and CEO, Erin Williams, comes from a family of shrimpers. So, for her, this is more than just a job.

“Seventy percent of all seafood consumed in the U.S. is done at restaurants,” Williams said. “So, any level of fraud at this level is a detriment to our industry.”

SeaD is taking samples of shrimp from a random selection of 44 Lowcountry seafood restaurants to see if this is happening. Williams says the restaurants are mainly from the Charleston area and the surrounding beaches.

For their rapid tests, the SeaD tester takes a handful of shrimps from one of the restaurants to sample. They then snag a tiny bit of tissue from the shrimp on the tip of a toothpick to put in their rapid testing system called the RIGHTTest.

The RIGHTTest uses ribonucleic acid testing to identify whether or not the shrimp is local. Test strips are put into a solution and are compared to an imported shrimps’ test. If the restaurant’s shrimp comes back positive, that shrimp is not from the Lowcountry.

Williams says the rapid test takes about two hours to show results.

SeaD then takes extensive notes on each test and reports them in a datasheet.

Acme Lowcountry Kitchen on the Isle of Palms was one of the tested restaurants. They say their shrimp is locally sourced, holding up a box that reads “Product of U.S.A. Wild Caught Fresh Frozen Shrimp.”

Williams says two other restaurants they’ve tested have already admitted that their shrimp is not local, but the tests still need to prove it. She says they’ve already gone to a few other states up the coast to see what their product is like.

“Tampa-St. Pete area in Florida and we did, again, 44 restaurants,” Williams said. “And out of those 44 restaurants, only two were selling domestic, wild-caught product.”

Williams says this imported product can affect the consumer’s health, wallet and ultimately, their trust.

S.C. Shrimpers Association Vice President and long-time shrimper Bryan Jones says folks around the Lowcountry wouldn’t just assume their shrimp isn’t from the area.

“They can end up getting the same shrimp they get at their local Applebee’s in Boise, Idaho, or Columbus, Ohio,” Jones said.

Williams says it should frustrate the consumer.

“We found that those price points per dish on average are the same as the authentic dishes, or actually even higher,” Williams said.

Acme Lowcountry Kitchen owner Bobby Simons agrees.

“It’s expensive to go out and eat, and why should people spend their hard-earned money on eating imported Asian seafood when they’re here by the coast?” Simons said.

So far, Williams says states like Louisiana have stricter labeling laws, which means most restaurants they tested that promoted local shrimp were legit.

Jones says that it should exist here, too.

“I think people should be held accountable and provide information to consumers so that they can make it intentional, informed decisions about whether or not they want to eat local, wild-caught shrimp, or imported shrimp,” Jones said.

He says folks around here should be supporting the Americans in their own backyards.

“It does support our local industry,” Jones said. “It supports families like mine, families like the folks I tie with, and not only the shrimpers, but also all the support industries as well.”

SeaD says the next time one goes to a Lowcountry seafood restaurant, one should ask where their shrimp comes from, even if they promote it as local. She says they should be transparent and show the box.

SeaD’s test results should be released around June 10.

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