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Seafood Safety as a Determinant of Food Security: A Malaysian Perspective
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Seafood is packed with protein and healthy fats, but it can also carry risks like bacteria, harmful metals, and microplastics if not handled properly. This review of existing research argues that Malaysia needs stronger safety checks and monitoring to keep seafood safe, since safe seafood means people can reliably access this important food source. The takeaway: proper handling and regulation aren't just about quality, they directly protect your health.
Seafood includes all aquatic foods sourced from oceans, estuaries, lakes, rivers, and streams, as well as those produced in controlled environments such as tanks, ponds, and cages. It is a vital source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, trace elements, and other nutrients, thereby playing a significant role in global food security. Despite its nutritional benefits, seafood is highly perishable and demands strict handling and preservation measures to maintain its safety, quality, and nutritional value. Factors threatening seafood safety include contamination risks from microorganisms, parasites, biotoxins, pesticides, microplastics, hazardous metals, and persistent organic pollutants. Ensuring seafood safety is fundamental to achieving seafood security, as safe seafood supports stable consumption, sustained market demand, and continuous access, which collectively enhance availability and affordability. In Malaysia, comprehensive regulatory frameworks, systematic monitoring, and quality assurance programs need to be implemented to enhance seafood safety. These national efforts are fundamental to safeguarding food security.
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Microplastics occurrence in the commercial Southeast Asian seafood and its impact on food safety and security: A review
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This review summarizes evidence of microplastic contamination in commercially harvested seafood across Southeast Asia, covering fish, shellfish, and crustaceans. Given the region's high seafood consumption, the authors highlight food safety concerns and call for standardized monitoring and regulatory frameworks.
Assessing Microplastic Contamination in Shellfish: Insights from Pantai Remis Kuala Selangor, Strait of Malacca, Malaysia
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Three commercially harvested shellfish species from Pantai Remis, Malaysia contained microplastics with varying density, color, size, and polymer composition by species, raising food safety concerns about MP exposure through seafood consumption.
Current status of food safety hazards and health risks connected with aquatic food products from Southeast Asian region
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This paper reviews food safety hazards and health risks associated with aquatic food products in Southeast Asia, a region with high seafood consumption and increasing environmental contamination. Microplastic contamination in fish and shellfish is identified as an emerging concern alongside microbial pathogens, heavy metals, and chemical residues.
Exploring the Complexities of Seafood: From Benefits to Contaminants
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This review examines the dual nature of seafood as both a nutritional powerhouse and a potential source of harmful contaminants, including microplastics, heavy metals, and pathogens. While seafood provides essential omega-3 fatty acids and protein, contamination from microplastics and other pollutants can offset these benefits and pose health risks. The authors call for better monitoring and safety standards to ensure that the health benefits of eating seafood are not undermined by environmental contamination.
Microplastics in seafood: Implications for food security, safety, and human health
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This review examines how microplastics contaminate seafood -- from fish and shellfish to seaweed -- and what that means for food safety and human health. Marine organisms accumulate microplastics along with the harmful chemicals and antibiotic-resistant bacteria attached to them, creating multiple exposure risks when people eat seafood. With global seafood consumption rising sharply, the authors argue that microplastic contamination in the food supply deserves urgent attention from food safety regulators.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.