The method could give policymakers a faster and less expensive way to measure nutrition trends, food access and the results of public programs. The approach builds on wastewater surveillance systems expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic to track the spread of the virus. The results showed measurable differences tied to income, population density, immigration and geography. Coastal communities showed greater consumption of locally caught species, including triggerfish and bluefish, while inland communities consumed more farmed fish such as Atlantic salmon and tilapia. Temperature can degrade samples, industrial and agricultural wastewater can complicate results, and communities relying on septic systems are not included.