The trade-offs of eating fish
A report urges U.S. consumers to consider the risks associated with persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemicals in fish.
Mercury, PCBs, and other contaminants commonly found in fish can offset the benefits of eating them, according to a report by the U.S. Institute of Medicine. Seafood Choices: Balancing Benefits and Risks recommends that consumers consider both the pros and cons of eating seafood.
The levels of contaminants in fish vary substantially in different regions, and farmed fish can contain significantly higher levels of toxins than their wild counterparts. Therefore, consumers need to know the origin of the fish they eat, and whether they were farmed or wild-caught, the report states.
The Institute of Medicine recommends that women of childbearing age and children eat no more than two servings of seafood a week. These groups should avoid eating large predatory fish, such as shark, swordfish, tilefish, and king mackerel, which live longer and may accumulate more toxins. However, anyone eating fish should consume a variety of different kinds to avoid exposure to contaminants from a single source.
