FDA/EPA 2004 Advice on What You Need to Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish

A revised version of the FDA/EPA Advice about Eating Fish for Women Who Are or Might Become Pregnant, Breastfeeding Mothers, and Young Children posted on July 2, 2019.

Marrch 2004
EPA-823-R-04-005
2004 EPA and FDA Advice For :
Women Who Might Become Pregnant
Women Who are Pregnant
Nursing Mothers
Young Children
fish and shellfish are an important function of a healthy diet. fish and shellfish control high-quality protein and other essential nutrients, are low in saturated fatten, and contain omega-3 fatty acid fatty acids. A well-adjusted diet that includes a assortment of fish and mollusk can contribute to affection health and children ‘s proper growth and development. so, women and unseasoned children in particular should include fish or shellfish in their diets due to the many nutritional benefits.

however, about all pisces and shellfish control traces of mercury. For most people, the hazard from mercury by eating fish and mollusk is not a health concern. Yet, some fish and shellfish contain higher levels of mercury that may harm an unborn baby or young child ‘s developing anxious system. The risks from mercury in pisces and shellfish count on the amount of pisces and shellfish eat and the levels of mercury in the fish and mollusk. consequently, the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) and the Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) are advising women who may become meaning, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and new children to avoid some types of fish and eat fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury .
By following these 3 recommendations for selecting and eating fish or mollusk, women and young children will receive the benefits of eating fish and mollusk and be convinced 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 base hit 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 median meal ) per workweek of pisces you catch from local anesthetic waters, but do n’t consume any early fish during that week .
Follow these lapp recommendations when feeding fish and mollusk to your new child, but serve smaller portions .

Frequently Asked Questions about Mercury in Fish and Shellfish:

1. What is mercury and methylmercury ?
   Mercury occurs naturally in the environment and can besides be released into the air through industrial befoulment. Mercury falls from the air out and can accumulate in streams and oceans and is turned into methylmercury in the urine. It is this type of mercury that can be harmful to your unborn baby and young child. fish absorb the methylmercury as they feed in these waters and so it builds up in them. It builds up more in some types of fish and shellfish than others, depending on what the pisces eat, which is why the levels vary.

   Read more: How To Enjoy Eating Healthy

2. I ‘m a woman who could have children but I ‘m not fraught – so why should I be concerned about methylmercury ?
   If you regularly consume types of fish that are eminent in methylmercury, it can accumulate in your blood stream over time. Methylmercury is removed from the soundbox naturally, but it may take over a class for the levels to drop significantly. therefore, it may be portray in a womanhood even before she becomes meaning. This is the cause why women who are trying to become pregnant should besides avoid eating certain types of fish .
3. Is there methylmercury in all pisces and shellfish ?
   closely all fish and mollusk contain traces of methylmercury. however, larger pisces that have lived longer have the highest levels of methylmercury because they ‘ve had more prison term to accumulate it. These bombastic pisces ( swordfish, shark, king mackerel and blanquillo ) pose the greatest risk. other types of fish and mollusk may be eaten in the amounts recommended by FDA and EPA .
4. I do n’t see the pisces I eat in the advisory. What should I do ?
   If you want more information about the levels in the diverse types of pisces you eat, see the FDA food safety web site or the EPA web site .
5. What about fish sticks and fast food sandwiches ?
   pisces sticks and “ fast-food ” sandwiches are normally made from pisces that are low in mercury .
6. The advice about canned tuna is in the advisory, but what ‘s the advice about tuna steaks ?
   Because tuna steak broadly contains higher levels of mercury than canned light tuna, when choosing your two meals of pisces and mollusk, you may eat up to 6 ounces ( one average meal ) of tuna steak per workweek .
7. What if I eat more than the recommend measure of pisces and shellfish in a week ?
   One workweek ‘s consumption of fish does not change the degree of methylmercury in the soundbox much at all. If you eat a distribute of fish one week, you can cut back for the following workweek or two. barely make indisputable you average the commend sum per week.

   Read more: Heart Healthy Foods We Love And This Is Why!

8. Where do I get data about the safety of fish caught recreationally by kin or friends ?
   Before you go fishing, check your Fishing Regulations Booklet for information about recreationally catch fish. You can besides contact your local health department for information about local advisories. You need to check local anesthetic advisories because some kinds of fish and mollusk trip up in your local waters may have higher or much lower than average levels of mercury. This depends on the levels of mercury in the water in which the fish are caught. Those fish with much lower levels may be eaten more frequently and in larger amounts .

For promote information about the risks of mercury in fish and mollusk call the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ‘s food data trace toll-free at 1-888-SAFEFOOD .
For far information about the safety of locally caught fish and mollusk, visit the Environmental Protection Agency ‘s Fish Advisory web site .