An article about "new safety" concerns regarding mercury in canned
light tuna" is coming out in the July issue of a popular US consumer
magazine.
On June 6, 2006, in response to the article, the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration released a statement that the FDA and the US Environmental
Protection Agency stand behind their 2004 recommendations (see below)
regarding public advisory for seafood consumption pertaining to: to women
who might become pregnant, women who are pregnant, nursing mothers, and
young children.
Last year at the joint Atlantic Fisheries Technologists and Seafood
Science & Technologists Society of the Americas meeting in Norfolk, VA,
Tom Billy gave a presentation on "Risk / Benefit Evaluation for
Contaminants in Fish." He noted that a risk assessment [a highly
scientific approach requiring extensive research review before reaching
conclusions and recommendations] is in progress. Mercury is the test case
for helping to establish a protocol in risk assessment for contaminants in
fish.
Pamela Tom
University of California
Sea Grant Extension Program
___________________________________________
FDA STATEMENT
June 6, 2006
Media Inquiries: Sebastian Cianci 301-827-6242
Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA
FDA/EPA Advisory on Seafood Consumption Still Current
In response to recent inquiries about the FDA/EPA consumer advisory, "What
You Need to Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish," FDA and EPA want to
assure consumers that the advice contained in the 2004 advisory remains
current and that FDA and EPA stand behind it. The advisory's
recommendations are specific to women who might become pregnant, women who
are pregnant, nursing mothers, and young children.
Fish and shellfish are an important part of a healthy diet and can
contribute to heart health and children's proper growth and development.
Because of their many healthy benefits we recommend that women and young
children include them as a regular part of their diet. However, nearly
all fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury.
By following 3 recommendations for selecting and eating fish or shellfish,
women and young children will receive the benefits of eating fish and
shellfish and be confident that they have reduced their exposure to the
harmful effects of mercury.
1. Do not eat Shark, Swordfish, King Mackerel, or Tilefish because
they contain high levels of mercury.
2. Eat up to 12 ounces (2 average meals) a week of a variety of fish
and shellfish that are lower in mercury.
Five of the most commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury are shrimp,
canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish.
Another commonly eaten fish, albacore ("white") tuna has more mercury than
canned light tuna. So, when choosing your two meals of fish and
shellfish, you may eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) of albacore tuna
per week.
3. Check local advisories about the safety of fish caught by family
and friends in your local lakes, rivers, and coastal areas. If no advice
is available eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) per week of fish you
catch from local waters, but don't consume any other fish during that
week.
Follow these same recommendations when feeding fish and shellfish to your
young children but serve smaller portions.
FDA continues to test fish and shellfish for mercury. Should there be a
significant change in the underlying science regarding the risks from
methylmercury or the benefits from fish, FDA and EPA will update the
advisory to ensure that the public is informed when making choices about
the amounts and types of fish to eat.
The complete 2004 FDA/EPA advisory, "What You Need to Know About Mercury
in Fish and Shellfish," can be found at
www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/admehg3.html
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