AR-News: 'Consumer-friendly' fish list issued

[jim robertson]

'Consumer-friendly' fish list issued
Federal guidelines advise on how much of what kind to eat
Sunday, March 21, 2004 Posted: 10:15 AM EST (1515 GMT)



Two meals of low-mercury fish each week are still advised for most people.

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CONSUMER LIST
Fish most likely to contain mercury:

Shark
Swordfish
King mackerel
Tilefish

Fish known to be low in mercury:

Shrimp
Canned light tuna
Salmon
Pollock
Catfish

Source: FDA/EPA


WASHINGTON (AP) -- Worried that mercury in fish poses a hazard to youngsters 
-- while still trying to stress the health benefits of seafood -- the U.S. 
government has issued new guidelines for eating fish.

Women who are pregnant, nursing or may become pregnant, and young children 
should not eat certain kinds of fish that tend to be high in mercury, said 
Lester Crawford, deputy commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug 
Administration.

While mercury can affect almost any organ in the body, "the most sensitive 
organ is the brain," said Crawford. "The concern is there could be a mental 
effect on a young child."

At the same time, the new guidelines emphasize that fish is a good source of 
protein and other nutrients and "can be important parts of a healthy and 
balanced diet."

In recent years fish has become increasingly popular because of the omega-3 
compounds it contains that can benefit the heart.

The American Heart Association recommends that people eat a variety of fish 
at least twice a week, even more for those diagnosed with heart disease.

The problem is that mercury pollution from industry and other sources 
contaminates water where it is taken up by small fish, which are then eaten 
by larger fish, concentrating the mercury which then may affect people who 
eat the fish.

So, how to protect the heart and brain?

Consumer's Union and other groups have been pressing the government to come 
up with a consumer-friendly list of low-mercury fish, since not all fish are 
polluted equally.

The new guidelines, issued jointly with the Environmental Protection Agency, 
do that.

They say the fish most likely to contain mercury are shark, swordfish, king 
mackerel and tilefish. These fish should be avoided by women in the groups 
that may be most affected, and also by small children, the guidelines say.

On the other hand, the guidelines suggest eating up to two meals a week, 
totaling 12 ounces, of fish known to be low in mercury such as shrimp, 
canned light tuna, salmon, pollock and catfish.

Albacore tuna has more mercury than light tuna, the agencies report, so it 
should be limited to one meal a week.

The trade association the National Fisheries Institute issued a statement 
stressing the health benefits of fish and expressing concern that the 
guidelines might alarm consumers and cause them to avoid fish.

But Crawford said that "by following these guidelines, we're confident that 
women and young children can safely include fish as an important part of a 
healthy diet."



Compassion, in which all ethics must take root, can only attain its full 
breadth and depth if it embraces all living creatures and does not limit 
itself to humankind.
Dr. Albert Schweitzer, Nobel Peace Prize winner

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