Good morning! We’ve lined up some stories for you to read. On the menu, in no particular order:
U.S. supermarkets and retailers are selling shrimp peeled by slaves. An ongoing Associated Press investigation has revealed that despite promises by Thailand’s businesses and that nation’s government, shrimp “peeled by modern-day slaves is reaching the U.S., Europe and Asia.” Consumption in the U.S. and other nations is driving demand. Many of the slaves are young children; adults are forced into labor or are victims of debt-bondage. Records secured from U.S. customs indicate that “the shrimp made its way into the supply chains of major U.S. food stores and retailers such as Wal-Mart, Kroger, Whole Foods, Dollar General and Petco, along with restaurants such as Red Lobster and Olive Garden.”
This article is part of an ongoing Associated Press investigative series. A disturbing but incredibly important read by Margie Mason, Robin McDowell, Martha Mendoza and Esther Htusan.
For additional information – and ICYMI – farms and fisheries are the frontier of human trafficking. Tracie McMillan writes about slavery in the “global supply chains of agriculture, fishing and aquaculture” for NPR’s The Salt. Another #goodread – ending seafood slavery: how tracing seafood can protect humans, too. David Bank for the Huffington Post.
Say goodbye to food poisoning: there’s a ($250) app for that. With concerns about food safety rising, we’re paying close attention to this news about smartphone food sensors. Maybe not so far away! Ben Lovejoy for 9to5Google. h/t Bill Marler. Lovejoy provides a quick take on a longer piece written by Christopher Mims; it appears in the Wall Street Journal.
Have a great day!