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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) conducts surveillance of metallic elements in U.S. meat, poultry, and Siluriformes fish samples collected immediately postmortem as part of its National Residue Program (NRP). From 2017 to 2022, 13,966 samples were analyzed under the NRP. The Federal Emergency Response Network (FERN) Cooperative Agreement Program (CAP) tests meat, poultry, and Siluriformes fish products collected at retail in the United States for metals. From 2018 to 2022, 2,902 samples were analyzed by FERN CAP laboratories. Meat and poultry samples collected by FSIS show that most metals were not detected at all or were detected infrequently. Meat is a rich source of iron and zinc, and iron was detected in 22% (1,255/5,623) and zinc was detected in 48% (2,742/5,676) of meat and poultry samples, respectively. The percentage of samples testing positive for manganese, molybdenum, lead, and cadmium were higher in the FERN CAP retail samples than in FSIS samples. Expected human exposure from average levels of lead and cadmium found in meat and poultry was compared to toxicological reference values and was not found to exceed these values. Detections of arsenic and mercury were found more often in Siluriformes fish samples (2017-2022) than in terrestrial animals. Trace amounts of arsenic and mercury were detected in 8% and 4% of Siluriformes samples, respectively, but were not detected at levels that raise concern. On the whole, both the FSIS and FERN CAP datasets provide reassuring evidence of the safety of the FSIS-regulated food supply with regard to the studied elements., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Estuarine environments are highly productive ecosystems exhibiting high fish biodiversity and richness. Estuarine bays yield significant fisheries catches, making them the target of extractive activities by both artisanal and industrial fisheries. These areas, however, are highly vulnerable to chemical contamination, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) associated with oil spills and other anthropogenic activities, which can jeopardize animal health and consumer welfare. In this context, this systematic review aimed to evaluate PAH levels detected in seafood from estuarine bays throughout the entire American continent and assess potential human health risks. The PICO methodology was applied, and 27 experimental papers were evaluated. The findings indicate that naphthalene and pyrene are routinely detected at high concentrations in several species, such as white mullet and catfish, and that biliary metabolites concentrations tend to be higher than tissue levels. Although the effects of PAH on animal health are well defined due to several decades of assessments, food safety evaluations are still not routine, evidencing a significant knowledge gap and the need for legislative measures based on toxicological data., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Aim/purpose - To develop a conceptual model for analyzing the impact of output price risk and material input price risk on price margins. Design/methodology/approach - To analyze the combined effect of output price risk and material input risk on price margins, we use a series of comparative static analyses, GARCH models, and data ranging from 1990/01 to 2012/12. Findings - The theoretical results indicate that the impact of output price risk and the impact of material input price risk on price margins are ambiguous and, to a great extent, hinge on the correlation between output price and material input price. The empirical results show that whole frozen catfish price risk and live catfish price risk negatively affect the price margin for frozen catfish. The empirical results, however, indicate that the risk of the price of live catfish affects markedly the price margin for frozen whole catfish in contrast to the impact of the risk of the price of frozen whole catfish. Research implications/limitations - The empirical results have significant implications for managerial decision-making especially when crafting strategies for improving price margins. Accordingly, in order to beef up the price margin for frozen whole catfish, catfish processors may consider engaging in vertical integration. This paper has some limitations: first, it assumes that firms operate in competitive markets; second, it assumes that firms produce and sell a single product. Originality/value/contribution - Unlike earlier studies that focused solely on the effect of output price risk on price margins, this paper analyzes theoretically and empirically the impact of output price risk and material input price risk on price margins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hoplosteernum littorale is a South American catfish (Family Callichthyidae) first discovered in the United States in 1995 in Florida. The presence of H. littorale was documented from early 2002 to late 2003 in Lake Tohopekaliga (Kissimmee River Basin) in central Florida. In this paper, 22 H. littorale nests and nest sites are described. The characteristic bubble nests were present from late May to early September, with number of nests peaking in August when water stage and temperature were both high. Nest habitats (shallow, open marshes) and timing of nest construction (rainy season) were similar to what has been reported for H. littorale in its native range. Most nests (n = 14) were in areas dominated by Hydrilla verticillata and constructed largely from parts of this Asian aquatic plant, representing a unique association between two non-native species. Nevertheless, during August, as water levels increased, nesting shifted from H. verticillata-dominated communities to use of inshore grass zones dominated by Luziola fluitans. Knowledge of H. littorale nesting seasonality and habitat preferences may be useful for any efforts to control or manage this invasive fish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edwardsiella piscicida has emerged as an important pathogen of channel × blue catfish hybrids cultured in the southeastern United States. With increasing popularity of hybrid catfish and growing concern over E. piscicida, the crossprotective potential of a live‐attenuated E.ictaluri vaccine was evaluated. An immunization bath of E. piscicida (3 × 107 CFU/ml) protected channel catfish against immersion challenge of wild‐type E. ictaluri (1 × 107 CFU/ml) across multiple temperatures and feeding regimens (relative percent survival [RPS]: 89–100%). Channel catfish immunized orally with a live‐attenuated E. ictaluri vaccine/feed admix (3 × 107 CFU/g of feed) were protected against intracoelomic injections of both high (HD) (7.4x105 CFU/fish; RPS = 85%) and low doses (LD) (1.5 × 105 CFU/fish; RPS = 88%) of E. piscicida. Because of limited feed consumption during vaccination, oral immunization of hybrids was followed by a 30‐min immersion bath with cultured vaccine (5 × 106 CFU/ml). Combinatory oral/bath vaccination was ineffective against HD E. piscicida but was protective against LD E. piscicida (48% RPS) and E. ictaluri (96% RPS). Finally, naïve catfish that survived LD E. piscicida injections were protected against E. ictaluri immersion challenge (2 × 107 CFU/ml; RPS: Hybrids 55%; Channels 75%). Results suggest a live‐attenuated E. ictaluri vaccine can also protect channel and hybrid catfish against E. piscicida. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although a concerted effort in catfish nutrition research in the United States did not begin until the late 1950s/early 1960s, the genesis of both the catfish industry and catfish nutrition research is rooted in studies conducted early in the 20th century. Thus, a historical view delineating the progression of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, nutrition from 1900 to the present is given. Notable nutrition research programs, as well as significant events and accomplishments, will be examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2003, the United States adopted anti-dumping tariffs for Vietnamese catfish products entering the country. This study examines how these tariffs have impacted the price relationship between domestically produced and imported catfish products. Cointegration tests confirm a long-run price relationship between domestic and imported catfish, which has persisted despite the anti-dumping tariffs. However, imports are composed of catfish from Vietnam and other countries, with only the former subjected to tariffs. Results from vector error correction models suggest that Vietnamese catfish prices do not significantly influence domestic prices. Conversely, the price of catfish from countries other than Vietnam continues to impact prices received by domestic catfish farmers and processors. The domestic catfish industry is still affected by lower-priced imports from countries other than Vietnam, although some of these may be transshipments that truly originate in Vietnam. This research methodology could be adapted to investigate trade and price interactions among other aquacultured species, which will become increasingly important as global aquaculture expands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catfish market research is important in terms of the viability and sustainability of the catfish aquaculture industry in the U.S. Analysis of market trends, retail level price and sales volume have particular importance in the context of the industry's efforts to promote and market their products. Using retail level scanner data, this study examined the market trends of different catfish product forms. The study also investigated the factors affecting prices and sales for frozen catfish products. The present study is a pioneer in using market/city level retail scanner data to study marketing behavior of catfish products under different product categories (i.e., breaded, unbreaded and entrees). The results of the study highlight a need for a non-price competition strategy for catfish retail market. This includes several activities that attempt to provide added value or incentives to consumers, wholesalers, retailers, or other organizational customers to stimulate immediate sales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Northeast Historical Archaeology is the property of Council for Northeast Historical Archaeology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The antimicrobial activity of various essential oils and carvacrol was determined on fresh raw catfish fillets against a 4-strain Listeria monocytogenes mixture representing serotypes 1/2b, 3b, 4b, and 4c that were predominantly isolated from catfish processing environments. Thyme oil, oregano oil and carvacrol exhibited concentration and time dependent responses in broth against L. monocytogenes; for example 0.5% concentrations resulted in 4 log CFU/mL reduction within 30 min whereas 0.1% concentrations required more than 24 h for the same level of reduction. Lemon, orange, and tangerine oils, at 0.5% showed listeriostatic effect in which 4 log CFU/mL of the initial L. monocytogenes load was unchanged at 4 °C in 10 d whereas 1% concentrations were listericidal in a time dependent manner. Apart from carvacrol, efficacy of tested essential oils in reducing L. monocytogenes and total microbial load from catfish fillet was very limited. Dipping treatment of catfish fillets in 2% carvacrol solution for 30 min at 4 °C reduced L. monocytogenes to an undetectable level from their initial load of 5 log CFU/g and reduced total microbial load from catfish fillets by approximately 5 log CFU/g. In sensory analysis trained panelist preferred control samples over 2% carvacrol treated samples implying potential limitation in applicability of carvacrol for fillet treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using ‘Constant Market Share’ analysis, we have decomposed the growth of catfish exports of major catfish exporting countries to the United States (U.S.) into structural, competitive and second-order effects and their sub-components. We have also studied competitiveness of the U.S. farm-raised catfish in the domestic market. The U.S. farm-raised catfish industry could not harvest the benefits of the supply-demand gap created in the U.S. due the shift of Vietnam's catfish exports away from the U.S. after 2003; however, China and Thailand and also some other catfish exporting countries derived the greatest extent of the benefits. Decline in the competitiveness of Vietnam's catfish exports to the United States has made China and Thailand catfish more competitive in the U.S. market. The benefits of increased demand for total fisheries products at the world level to the U.S. catfish industry have been marginalized by decline in competitiveness of the U.S. farm-raised catfish in domestic market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the farm-raised catfish in the U.S. which provide one of the most affordable and environmentally sustainable sources of safe, tasty, high-quality animal protein available to American consumers. It notes that cultivated catfish of various species surpass all aquacultured finfish except carp and salmon on its sales which is measured by numbers of fish, tonnage, or dollar value. It also notes that in the U.S., catfish is the most widely produced freshwater fish. It also notes that 728 million catfish weighing 28 million pounds were sold for 373 million dollars in 2009.

Copyright of Tropical Life Sciences Research is the property of Universiti Sains Malaysia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of various agglomerated phosphate blends on the quality of vacuum-tumbled catfish fillets. Catfish fillets were tumbled with a brine solution at 15% over initial, raw weight prior to tray-packing and storage at 4°C for 10 days. Fillets were evaluated for protein exudate, tumbling yield, color, pH, cooking loss, tenderness, purge loss, and shelf life. A specific blend of agglomerated sodium phosphates (AGSP) that contains mono-, tri-, and polyphosphates had significantly less protein (p < 0.05) exudate and significantly higher pH (p < 0.05) than other treatments. All phosphate treatments significantly increased (p < 0.05) tenderness and significantly decreased (p < 0.05) purge loss, but agglomerated phosphate blends significantly decreased (p < 0.05) cooking loss and yellowness. Psychrotrophic plate counts for all phosphate treatments were similar to the control at each storage time. All phosphate treatments improved the yield and quality of catfish fillets, but the use of AGSP may optimize quality attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pangasius catfish, primarily tra (Pangasius hypophthalmus) and basa ( Pangasius bocourti), are farm-raised catfish imported from Asia and have become a common substitute for domestic catfish, grouper, and other high-valued fish in restaurant-served dishes in the United States. This article reports on the development of a monoclonal antibody-based sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the identification of cooked Pangasius fish, basa, and tra. The assay uses a pair of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs F7B8 and T7E10) specific to a heat-stable 36-kDa protein present in a saline extraction of the fish muscle; MAb F7B8, which cross-reacts to all fish species, is the capture antibody and the biotin-conjugated MAb T7E10, which is specific to Pangasius fish, is the detection antibody. This sandwich ELISA reliably identified fully cooked basa and tra from more than 70 common finfish, shellfish, land animal species, and other protein materials tested. It can also sensitively detect 0.5% of adulterated basa or 0.1% tra in a mixed crabmeat products with low intra-assay (%CV: 2.59 to 4.14) and inter-assay (%CV: 3.36 to 3.71) variabilities. The new assay provides a rapid and reliable means of distinguishing fish in the Pangasiidae family from other common food fish and nonfish species and will greatly assist efforts to discourage the illegal practice of substituting high-value popular fish species by the cheaper farm-raised imported Pangasius fish at the retail and restaurant levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The absolute price version of the Rotterdam model was used in the estimation of U.S. catfish demand where catfish was differentiated by product cut (whole, fillet, and other) and product form (fresh and frozen). Likelihood ratio tests were used to determine the importance of product form in demand (product form aggregation). Likelihood ratio tests were also used to determine if fresh products were separable from frozen products (product form separability). Product form aggregation was rejected at a probability of 0.999, suggesting that fresh and frozen catfish products are not homogenous. The hypothesis, no product form separability, failed to be rejected at the 0.05 significance level, but was rejected at the 0.01 significance level. Test results suggest that it is more acceptable to focus on a single product group (e.g., frozen products) than to assume that catfish products are perfectly aggregatable across product forms. [JEL classifications: Q11, Q13, Q22]. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased understanding of the factors that influence the frequency of purchase of catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) by U.S. households would provide guidance for catfish marketing programs. A household survey was conducted to analyze consumer preferences and consumption trends of U.S. farm-raised catfish in Birmingham, Memphis, Chicago, Jackson (MS), New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Little Rock, Oklahoma City, Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. An ordered probit model was developed to examine the variables influencing frequency of catfish purchase. Household respondents in all cities except Jackson, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, and San Antonio were found to be more frequent buyers of catfish products. Respondents who preferred fresh catfish had a greater likelihood of frequent catfish purchase while buyers of frozen catfish were less likely to purchase catfish frequently. Method of preparation and serving had no influence on catfish purchase frequency. Buyers purchasing from supermarket outlets had a higher probability of being more frequent buyers of catfish products than those who purchase from other market outlets. Product origin labels and vacuum-sealed packaging influenced the frequency of catfish purchase. Caucasians and African Americans were found to be more frequent buyers of catfish products while Hispanics were found to be significantly less frequent buyers of catfish products. Married couples had a greater likelihood of purchasing catfish more frequently than unmarried couples. Age of the respondents as well as number of household members had no significant effect on frequency of catfish purchase. The results from this study support the importance of country of origin labeling, supplying high-quality fresh products, and alternative packaging to enhance sales of U.S. farm-raised catfish in supermarkets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The black madtom (Noturus funebris) is a diminutive catfish (maximum standard length 124 mm) found throughout the southeastern United States. Life history aspects of N. funebris were examined using 298 specimens from Blue Girth Creek, a sand-bottomed second-order tributary to the Cahaba River in Bibb County, Alabama, collected in 1987-1988. Noturus jimebris was associated with undercut banks, root masses, and woody debris. The youngest reproductive female was 3 years old. Noturus funebris produces many eggs (mean = 109 ova per female) compared to other species within the subgenus Schilbeodes; however, relative fecundity (oocytes per g body weight) indicated a lower relative position in the subgenus. Analysis of gonads and presence of young-of-the-year indicated a spawning season from late June to August. One nest of N. funebris was collected in July 1988 in a glass bottle with 70 eggs. Sex ratio was nearly 1:1. in summer 2005, placement of 30 clay flowerpots as in-stream artificial nesting cavities yielded no additional nests, which suggested a preference for smaller, closed cavities. Analysis of stomach contents indicated a similar diet to other Noturus species, which consisted mainly of decapods and larvae of dipterans, mayflies, and caddisilies. Odonates made up the higher percent of diet volume in winter, crayfish in the spring, and plant material in the summer. Length-frequency data indicated four size (age) classes. with most individuals in the age 0+ and other classes containing similar proportions of individuals. A potential age-4 class consisted of three individuals greater than 108 mm SL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I present a method and examples of a piecewise function in nonlinear regression to estimate size-related differential mortality using age- and length-based models for data collected from a Tennessee River (Alabama) population of blue catfish Ictalurus furcatus. The model is similar to. catch curve regression but computes two slope coefficients that can be used to estimate mortality; these slopes meet at a joint (or knot) that estimates the age or length at which differences in mortality occur. The model is described as loge(Ni) = b0 - (b1 + b2)ti, where Ni is the number of fish collected for the ith age or length interval; ti is the age or relative age of the ith age or length interval; b0 is the intercept coefficient; b1 is the slope coefficient and is equal to b*2 when ti is less than or equal to the knot and 0 otherwise; b2 is a second slope coefficient and is equal to b*1 - b*2 when ti is greater than the knot and 0 otherwise; and b*1 and b*2 are estimated by the model. For these data, fish ranged in age from 3 to 25 years and ranged in total length (TL) from 301 to 1,291 mm. With this piecewise nonlinear approach, the fit between age or length and loge (Ni) improved over that determined with linear catch curves. For both age- and lengthbased structure data, annual mortality for small blue catfish ranged from 0.41 to 0.49 for younger and smaller fish (age ≤ 10 years; TL ≤ 684 mm). For larger, older fish (age = 11-25 years; TL > 685 mm), annual mortality estimates ranged from 0.08 to 0.16. Observations of the fishery indicated that anglers harvested smaller blue catfish (<562 mm TL); harvest of larger fish was nil, which probably accounted for the size-related differences in mortality. I provide a computer program to derive estimates of size-related mortality using piecewise nonlinear regression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Productivity growth of the catfish-processing sector in the United States was measured over the time period of 1986 through 2005. The analysis evaluated the efficiency with which products are produced by catfish processing plants. The Malmquist index is employed to decompose the total factor productivity into growth associated with technical efficiency change and technological progress. The relationship between Farrell's measure of technical efficiency and the Shepard's distance function provides the theoretical foundation for estimating the Malmquist production index using data envelopment analysis. The results indicate that, between 1986 and 2005, there was no technical progress or adoption of new techniques with significant impact on catfish processing. Technical efficiency change, which is associated with input use efficiency, varied with type of fish size processed. It decreased from 1985 to 1995 as the industry struggled to establish the most efficient fish size to process. Between 1995 and 2005 the fluctuation continued but at a higher mean. Productivity growth and long-term competitiveness are likely to result from adoption of new processing innovations by the catfish-processing sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of aquacultural products has created an imbalance of market power between catfish producers and a processing sector that exerts a monopsonistic power in certain regions of the U.S. such as west Alabama. However, because of the recent changes caused by vertical integration of the catfish industry, the existence of an oligopolistic power has been identified in the catfish industry. An empirical model of pricing in the catfish industry was developed using a theoretical model proposed by Appelbaum. An analysis of the market structure was conducted to provide estimates of conjectural elasticities over time. Conjectural elasticities were used to construct the oligopoly power index. Results show some evidence of the existence of oligopolistic power in the catfish industry that further suggests some degree of price enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) has become the most important aquaculture species in the USA. A genetic linkage map in catfish is needed to improve efficiency of breeding by marker-assisted selection (MAS) and for identification of economically important genes such as disease resistance genes. To identify DNA-based genetic polymorphism, the present authors tested 42 randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) primers for their utility in identifying genetic polymorphism in catfish. Out of these primers, 22 generated 171 highly reproducible RAPD markers, producing almost eight polymorphic bands per primer. The remaining 20 primers produced an additional 20 polymorphic bands. The RAPD markers were highly reproducible, transmitted to F1 hybrids, and segregated in F2 or backcross progeny in ratios that did not differ from Mendelian expectations. Because the interspecific hybrids of channel catfish and blue catfish are fertile, RAPD markers using the interspecific hybrid system will be useful for rapid construction of genetic linkage maps of catfish and for analysis of important quantitative trait loci. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Past beneficiaries of research and extension projects in aquaculture in the USA have been large farmers using pond culture systems. Additional studies, based on sound knowledge of empirical behaviour, are needed to identify alternative technologies and aid in the management decisions of small-scale farms. A mixed integer, multiperiod linear programming model and survey data were used to analyse the profitability of caged channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque), culture. Results suggest that only a limited number of farmers may be able to adopt cage culture as an alternative farm enterprise. Profitability was sensitive to assumed product prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The U.S. catfish industry is a major industry that has been declining over the years due to imports competition and growing operational costs. Catfish processing wastewater management and high energy requirement put a large financial burden on catfish processing facilities. Recovered protein-based solids have provided some value-added co-products, however, more co-products are needed to offset processing costs. Anaerobic digestion is a proven waste treatment method that produces methane, which is an energetic co-product that can be used within the processing facilities. This study was conducted to evaluate the potential of anaerobic digestion as an alternative to the currently used aerobic biotreatment of catfish processing wastewater. Initial assessments indicated the recalcitrance of the full-strength wastewater to anaerobic digestion, yielding only ~4 m3 per ton (U.S.) of input chemical oxygen demand (CODinput). Thus, several strategies were evaluated to improve the methane yield from the wastewater. These strategies include nutrient (nitrogen and sulfur) amendment, along with ozone, HCl, and NaOH pretreatment. The results showed that nutrient amendment was the most suitable strategy for improving the digestibility of the catfish processing wastewater. A methane yield of 121–236 m3/ton (U.S.) CODinput was obtained, with a purity of 67–80 vol.%. These results are similar to yields and purities of biogas from other feedstock, such as food waste, wastewater solids, and fish canning wastewater. This indicates that anaerobic digestion could be a viable alternative for simultaneous treatment and energetic co-product generation from catfish processing wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]