FDA & EPA Revised guidelines on fish

[Guest guest]

Just last Friday (3/19), the FDA and EPA issued revised guidelines on

fish. They said that pregnant/breastfeeding women should avoid high-

mercury fish and have no more than 12 oz./week (two meals) of the low-

mercury fish (which includes shrimp and tuna). Since albacore has

more mercury than light tuna, they recommend light tuna and say no

more than 6 oz./week of albacore. These are brand new guidelines, so

I think they may supercede ones on BabyCenter and March of Dimes,

which may not have been able to update their websites yet (though

they referred to " new " guidelines that were forthcoming from the FDA

and EPA).

Here's the link and the article.

http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/news/2004/NEW01038.html

FDA and EPA Announce the Revised Consumer Advisory on Methylmercury

in Fish

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) announced today their joint consumer advisory

on methylmercury in fish and shellfish for reducing the exposure to

high levels of mercury in women who may become pregnant, pregnant

women, nursing mothers, and young children. This unifies advice from

both FDA and EPA and supersedes FDA's and EPA's 2001 advisories.

The FDA and EPA want to emphasize the benefits of eating fish -

consumers should know that fish and shellfish can be important parts

of a healthy and balanced diet. They are good sources of high quality

protein and other essential nutrients; however, as a matter of

prudence, women might wish to modify the amount and type of fish they

consume if they are planning to become pregnant, pregnant, nursing,

or feeding a young child. By following these three recommendations

for selecting and eating fish or shellfish, women 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 (two 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 six 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 six 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.

" This revised advisory is a culmination of months of hard work by

both agencies, " said FDA Deputy Commissioner Lester M. Crawford,

D.V.M., Ph.D. " By following this advice, we're confident that women

and young children can safely include fish as an important part of a

healthy diet. "

In July 2002, FDA's Food Advisory Committee met and made several

recommendations to FDA on how to revise its 2001 consumer advisory on

methylmercury in fish with special concern for pregnant women,

nursing mothers, women who may become pregnant, and young children.

One recommendation was for FDA and EPA to coordinate mercury

advisories on commercial fish and recreational fish and say something

specific about canned tuna.

In December 2003, FDA's Food Advisory Committee met again to be

updated on the progress FDA had made in responding to their

recommendations. At that time the committee recommended listing in

the advisory fish that are low in mercury. Since the December 2003

meeting and the period of time between the two meetings, FDA and EPA

have been working together toward the goal of providing an updated

consumer advisory in response to the recommendations from the Food

Advisory Committee. This work has included conducting ongoing

interagency meetings, conducting field assignments which provided

additional testing of mercury in fish for which there were low sample

sizes, sampling over 3400 cans of tuna, undertaking exposure

assessments using these new data and conducting focus group testing

on the revised advisory.

" Our guidance allows consumers to make educated dietary choices for

fish they catch or buy, " said EPA's Acting Assistant Administrator

for the Office of Water Grumbles. " With a few simple

adjustments, consumers can continue to enjoy these foods in a manner

that is healthy and beneficial. "

As part of announcing the revised consumer advisory, FDA and EPA plan

to launch a comprehensive outreach and educational campaign.

Additional information can be found at: www.cfsan.fda.gov or the EPA

website at www.epa.gov/ost/fish.

[Guest guest]

actually, I think that's basically what the MOD said in their report.