AR-News: (U.S.) new fish consumption guidelines

[Mary Finelli]

ROTTEN TO THE ALBACORE
Feds Issue New Fish Consumption Guidelines
Daily Grist, March 19, 2004


Today the U.S. EPA and the Food and Drug Administration issued an official 
set of guidelines on eating fish, which attempts to balance the risks of 
mercury to children with the broader health benefits of seafood.  Mercury 
can adversely affect children's mental development, so pregnant (or 
soon-to-be-pregnant) women and kids should avoid eating more that 6 ounces 
-- roughly one meal's worth -- of albacore tuna a week.  They should also 
avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish.  However, the 
guidelines emphasize that seafood contains healthy proteins and nutrients 
and that shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish can play an 
important role in a balanced diet.  Grist editors were going to come up with 
a snappy mnemonic device to help readers keep all of this straight, but, as 
it turns out, we're not that clever.

straight to the source:  USA Today, Associated Press, 19 Mar 2004
http://www.gristmagazine.com/cgi-bin/forward.pl?forward_id=2177

straight to the source:  New York Times, Jennifer 8. Lee, 19 Mar 2004
http://www.gristmagazine.com/cgi-bin/forward.pl?forward_id=2183

see also in Grist:  Fish and tips -- the word on safe seafood -- in Earthly 
Possessions
http://www.gristmagazine.org/possessions/possessions022404.asp?source=daily

_________________________________________________________________
Free up your inbox with MSN Hotmail Extra Storage. Multiple plans available. 
http://click.atdmt.com/AVE/go/onm00200362ave/direct/01/