I ish and shellfish are an important part of a
healthy diet. Fish and shellfish contain high-
quality protein and other essential nutrients,
are low in saturated fat, and contain omega-3
fatty acids. A well-balanced diet that includes
a variety of fish and shellfish can contribute
to heart health and children's proper growth
and development. So, "women and young
children in particular should include fish or
shellfish in their diets due to the many
nutritional benefits.
However, nearly all fish and shellfish contain
traces of mercury. For most people, the risk
from mercury by eating fish and shellfish 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 nervous system. The risks from
mercury in fish and shellfish depend on the
amount of fish and shellfish eaten and the
levels of mercury in the fish and shellfish.
Therefore, the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) and the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) are advising women who may
become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing
mothers, and young children to avoid some
types of fish and eat fish and shellfish that are
lower in mercury.
For further information about the risks of mercury
in fish and shellfish call the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration's food information line toll-free at
1-888-SAFEFOOD or visit FDA's Food Safety
website www.cfsan.fda.gov/seafoodl .html.
For further information about the safety of locally
caught fish and shellfish, visit the Environmental
Protection Agency's Fish Advisory -website
www.epa.gov/ost/fish or contact your State or Local
Health Department. A list of state or local health
department contacts is available at
www.epa.gov/ost/fish. Click on Federal, State, and
Tribal Contacts. For information on EPA's actions to
control mercury, visit EPA's mercury -website at
www.epa.gov/mercury.
hat You
Need to
Know
About
Mercury
in Fish
and
Shellfish
Advice for
Women Who Might Become Pregnant
Women Who are Pregnant
Nursing Mothers
Young Children
from the
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
EPA-823-F-04-009
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B,
Safety Tips
I • Do not eat:
• Shark
• Swordfish
• King Mackerel
• Tilefish
They contain high
levels of mercury.
fy folio-wing these 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— m 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.
• 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 child, but serve smaller portions.
Visit the Food and Drug Administration's Food Safety Website www.cfsan.fda.gov or
the Environmental Protection Agency's Fish Advisory Website www.epa.gov/ost/fish
for a listing of mercury levels in fish.
"requently
Asked Q
uestions about Mercury in Fith and Shellfith:
Note:
If you have question,! or
think you "ve been exposed
to Large amounts of
methylmercury, jee your
doctor or health care
provider immediately.
What Lt mercury?
Mercury occurs naturally in the environment
and can also be released into the air through
industrial pollution. Mercury falls from the air
and can accumulate in streams and oceans and
is turned into methylmercury in the -water. 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 offish and shellfish than others,
depending on -what the fish eat, -which is -why
the levels vary.
'in a woman, who could have children.
but I'm not pregnant - do why should I be
concerned about methylmercury?
If you regularly eat types offish that are high in
methylmercury, it can accumulate in your blood
stream over time. Methylmercury is removed
from the body naturally, but it may take over a
year for the levels to drop significantly. Thus, it
may be present in a -woman even before she
becomes pregnant. This is the reason -why
•women -who are trying to become pregnant
should also avoid eating certain types of fish.
there methylmercury in allfidh and
jhellfidh?
Nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of
methylmercury. However, larger fish that have
lived longer have the highest levels of
methylmercury because they've had more time
to accumulate it. These large fish (swordfish,
shark, king mackerel and tilefish) pose the
greatest risk. Other types offish and shellfish
may be eaten in the amounts recommended by
FDA and EPA.
don't dee the fi> h I eat in the advisory.
What should I do?
If you -want more information about the levels in the
various types of fish you eat, see the FDA food safety
•website www. cfsan.fda.gov/~frf/sea-mehg.html or the
EPA -website at www. epa.gov/ost/fish.
W hat about fL>h Jtickd and fa^t food
jandwichej?
Fish sticks and "fast-food" sandwiches are commonly
made from fish that are low in mercury.
I he advice about canned tuna L> in the advisory ,
but what^ the advice about tuna
Because tuna steak generally contains higher levels of
mercury than canned light tuna, -when choosing your
two meals of fish and shellfish, you may eat up to
6 ounces (one average meal) of tuna steak per -week.
W hat if I eat more than the recommended
amount offish and jhellfLih in a week?
One -week's consumption offish does not change the
level of methylmercury in the body much at all. If you
eat a lot of fish one -week, you can cut back for the
next -week or two. Just make sure you average the
recommended amount per -week.
W here do I get information about the safety of
fidh caught recreationally by family or friends?
Before you go fishing, check your Fishing Regulations
Booklet for information about recreationally caught
fish. You can also contact your local health department
for information about local advisories. You need to
check local advisories because some kinds of fish and
shellfish caught 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.
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