Seafood from the oil ravaged U.S. Gulf Coast is returning to markets, but would-be buyers are cautious over possible contamination.

Connie Plessala organizes Louisiana blue crabs into bins behind the counter of Big Fisherman Seafood in New Orleans. (Patrick Semansky/Associated Press)Government officials say the seafood has been tested and is safe to eat, but whether consumers will buy those assurances remains to be seen.

An Associated Press-GfK poll that surveyed 1,007 adults in the U.S. Aug. 11-16 found that 54 per cent did not trust the seafood. (The margin of error for the total sample is plus or minus 4.5 percentage points).

But Jimmy Galle, founder of Sausalito-based Gulfish LP and supplier a number of upscale restaurants in the San Francisco Bay area and elsewhere, says his business has begun to grow again after a few lean months. "And the shrimp has been nothing less than spectacular lately," he said.

Ann Cashion, co-owner of Johnny's Halfshell in Washington, D.C., one of Galle's clients, sees concerns about Gulf seafood safety fading.

"I find that people aren't even asking right now. It was more on top of people's brains when the oil was still flowing," she said.

Cashion believes the testing is thorough, particularly because state officials are involved.

"The state of Louisiana and the Gulf Coast in general has so much to lose if there is any kind of problem with any seafood that gets through inspection, so I know the inspection is going to be thorough and is going to err on the side of 'Let's don't take any chances,"' she said.

Mistrust of inspection agencies

Not everyone has confidence in the agencies that are assuring the seafood is safe.

Incoming seafood samples from the Gulf of Mexico are cataloged as tests are conducted on seafood at the NOAA facility in Seattle. (Kevin P. Casey/Associated Press)"I would say that I always have a skeptical eye toward government regulation and government certification of things," said Genie Gratto, an Oakland food blogger.

"It's been proven time and time again that, first of all government certification of food is such a massive job — the USDA and the FDA tend to be pretty understaffed in those kind of inspection areas — there's no way they can get everything."

On the other hand, she does have confidence in buying from trusted suppliers, like the small meat and fish market where she shops. She also tries to buy local, which doesn't include Gulf seafood.

The Natural Resources Defence Council and other groups recently asked the Food and Drug Administration and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to strengthen procedures for determining whether seafood is safe and whether fishing areas should be reopened.

They also want sampling protocols and data published online.

"We're not saying that the seafood is not safe," said Gina Solomon, a senior scientist with NRDC. "We're basically raising questions about the government's procedures, their scientific procedures and their transparency."

One issue is whether government standards are strict enough to protect vulnerable populations, she said. "We want to make sure that the government is setting up a robust seafood safety testing program that will be able to protect the public for years to come, because that's how long this problem is likely to last."

The main issue with oil contamination is potential cancer-causing substances called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs. These are pollutants that show up in other foods as well, such as grilled meat.

'We also understand that we must remain vigilant '—Meghan Scott, FDA

If there is contamination, fish metabolize it fastest, with oysters and crabs slowest, and shrimp somewhere in between.

Testing includes "sniffers," who check for traces of oil and lab tests on ground-up seafood to check for signs of contaminants.

Because of strict adherence to procedures, the FDA "feels confident in the safety of seafood coming from these waters," FDA spokesperson Meghan Scott said in an email.

"We also understand that we must remain vigilant to ensure the safety of seafood coming from the Gulf. As such, FDA and NOAA will continue to monitor both water and seafood to ensure that tainted fish is not allowed into the marketplace."