As the self-appointed Word Police, we are deeply disturbed by a decision by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to allow producers of processed seafood product surimi to drop the word "imitation" from their products' labels ... even when it's formed and flavored to look like crab, lobster, scallops and other seafood. It's now going to be "crab-flavored seafood," "scallop-flavored seafood" or "lobster-flavored seafood."

Surimi is made from Alaskan pollock or other whitefish. It is not lobster. It is not crab. It is not scallop. And until now, when those making it have -- ingeniously, we might add -- transformed it from its native shape and taste into something resembling, well, fake lobster, fake crab or fake scallop, they've been required to label it accordingly: "Imitation lobster," for example.

But you know, and we know, that the "imitation" label is a real downer. A discouragement to commerce. A retarding influence on the the Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers' ability to make money. So in a fit of great irony of which they were surely aware, the Genuine Alaska Pollock Producers joined with a few other powerful industry lobbyists and convinced the USDA to allow them to market their genuine pollock as crab-flavored, lobster-flavored or scallop-flavored other stuff. No mention of its actual parentage. A deliberate, opportunistic orphan.

The Maine Lobster Promotion Council, rightfully defending its turf, wrote Sen. Olympia Snowe to protest the move. We join our fellow Mainers in their protest. We're offended by the lack of accuracy this move represents.