Gov't says seafood from Gulf is safe
The federal government says seafood caught and tested in the Gulf of Mexico since the April 20 oil rig explosion is safe to eat.
To date, about 400 samples of commonly consumed species caught from both closed and open waters in the Gulf have been chemically tested by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Each sample represents multiple fish. Officials say none has shown high enough levels of contaminants to be concerned.
NOAA is largely looking for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, the most common carcinogenic components of oil.
To keep contaminated seafood off the market, the government is primarily relying on its closure of about one-third of the Gulf's federal waters. That's roughly 80,000 square miles.
