AG settles with supplier in fake grouper probe
Posted: Sep 3rd, '08, 12:10
TAMPA, Fla. — Florida's Attorney General has reached a settlement with a national food distributor over allegations it was providing Tampa-area restaurants with phony grouper.
Bill McCollum's office announced Wednesday that Sysco Food Services - West Coast Florida, Inc. will refrain from marketing items as grouper without taking reasonable steps to make sure they're not another, less expensive fish. The company will also donate $100,000 worth of food to local soup kitchens and reimburse the state's $200,000 investigative fees.
The Attorney General's Office began investigating allegations in October 2006 that Tampa-area restaurants were passing off fish such as Emperor, Sutchi and Bream as grouper. Sysco was the supplier for 14 of the 17 restaurant found to be doing this.
You can't tell me that a food purveyor the size of Sysco didn't have a professional fish monger and that this wasn't done on purpose to cheat the public.
Not much of a fine for a company of its size.
This is one reason I no longer order fish at a resturant. Doesn't matter how fancy or expensive a place it is. The general public gets ripped off all the time.
Only place I know you can trust would be Brewsters place. Just a little on the far side for me to eat at.
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Bill McCollum's office announced Wednesday that Sysco Food Services - West Coast Florida, Inc. will refrain from marketing items as grouper without taking reasonable steps to make sure they're not another, less expensive fish. The company will also donate $100,000 worth of food to local soup kitchens and reimburse the state's $200,000 investigative fees.
The Attorney General's Office began investigating allegations in October 2006 that Tampa-area restaurants were passing off fish such as Emperor, Sutchi and Bream as grouper. Sysco was the supplier for 14 of the 17 restaurant found to be doing this.
You can't tell me that a food purveyor the size of Sysco didn't have a professional fish monger and that this wasn't done on purpose to cheat the public.
Not much of a fine for a company of its size.
This is one reason I no longer order fish at a resturant. Doesn't matter how fancy or expensive a place it is. The general public gets ripped off all the time.
Only place I know you can trust would be Brewsters place. Just a little on the far side for me to eat at.
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