Consumer Reports: Pregnant Women Should Not Eat Canned Tuna; 'It's Prudent'

Consumer Reports: Pregnant Women Should Not Eat Canned Tuna; 'It's Prudent'

Source: Underwatertimes

6/5/2006

As a prudent measure, Consumer Reports is cautioning pregnant women to avoid canned tuna. The magazine's advice is based on an analysis of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tests of mercury in fish posted recently on the agency's Web site.

CR's analysis of government data showed that six percent of the tested samples of canned light tuna, long recommended as the safer choice over white tuna (also known as albacore) because of its presumably lower mercury content, contained at least as much or more of that potentially harmful heavy metal as white tuna. One possible explanation is that some canned light tuna may contain yellowfin, which tends to have much more mercury than skipjack, the type usually found in cans labeled as light. Also, limited FDA data suggested that between chunk-light and solid- light tuna, the solid-light may contain more mercury, on average, than chunk-light.

"Based on the FDA's test results and the guidelines for acceptable levels of exposure to mercury set out by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), we believe that it's prudent for pregnant women to avoid canned tuna and for young children and women of childbearing age to limit consumption. Exposure to mercury from fish can result in small but measurable impairments in the neurological system, including such problems as eye-hand coordination and learning ability," says Dr. Marvin M. Lipman, Consumer Reports' Chief Medical Adviser.

"Fortunately, there is a wide variety of low-mercury seafood options that everyone can eat frequently as part of a healthy diet. Fish is an important source of protein and contains heart- protecting omega-3 fatty acids," adds Dr. Lipman.

In light of FDA's posted data and the EPA's reference dose for mercury in fish, CR's experts offer advice for the following groups of people:

Atlantic bluefin tuna

Continue...

News Id		Source	Stamp	country
4126	Killing one fish species to preserve another	theglobeandmail	2012-09-20	CA
4127	Wallington man reels in 180lb albino fish	yourlocalguardian	2012-09-20	UK
4128	Alaska and the mysterious disappearing king salmon	BBC News	2012-09-19	US
4129	Montana announces fifth record-breaking fish in less than a year	foxnews	2021-04-01	US
4130	Overuse of antibiotics threatens China’s fish farms, scientists warn	scmp	2021-04-02	CN
4131	“Just incredible”: Bay of Green Bay evolves into world-class walleye fishery	wbay	2021-04-02	US
4132	Floating hotel where the bedroom is 10 feet beneath the surface of a Swedish lake	Daily Mail	2012-09-17	UK
4133	Warm temperatures bring bizarre tropical fish to Bay of Fundy	CTVNews	2012-09-13	CA
4134	One killed trying to fish using explosive	the hindu	2012-09-13	IN
4135	Hi-tech neon 'GloFish' could threaten natural species	gizmodo	2012-05-09	US
4136	Sonar replacing human fish counting in Yukon	CBC News	2012-08-31	CA
4137	First Nations in the Yukon fear poor Chinook salmon run sign of looming extinction	aptnnews	2020-09-19	CA
4138	Trout meet creek: These kids loved releasing brookies into Junction Creek	sudbury	2018-05-13	CA
4139	Urban fishing program comes to Clemmons Lake at Lynchburg’s Ivy Creek Park	newsadvance	2015-08-03	US
4140	‘Seaspiracy’ review: Fact and fiction meet fish in controversial Netflix documentary	the hindu	2021-04-03	IN
4141	Farmed fish suffer pain and stress, says report that criticises welfare failings	theguardian	2021-04-02	UK
4142	Canada declares fish fraud crackdown but leaves out restaurants	theguardian	2021-03-30	CA
4143	Scientists discover ‘penis-headed’ fish in Vietnam	RT	2012-08-29	VN
4144	Rare, elusive marine fish observed	upi	2012-08-28	CA
4145	Man wants answers after pond is drained, fish die	The Tribune-Democrat	2012-08-26	US
4146	A Fraser Full of Fish No More?	thetyee	2008-12-03	CA
4147	WV's weirdest-looking fish plays hide-and-seek with researchers	wvgazettemail	2021-03-27	US
4148	Comparing the Collateral Damage of US Fisheries	hakaimagazine	2021-03-26	US
4149	Capture your greatest catches on film with underwater fishing cam	click2houston	2021-03-23	US
4150	Thousands of fish released from Ontario fish farm	ctvnews	2012-08-23	CA

165 of [217 - pages.]