FDA Review Reassures That Tuna Is OK For The Lunch Bag

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A respected independent study organization concluded this past July that the US Food and Drug Administration guideline on mercury content in fish “ensures” public safety, and that basing regulations on any stricter standard would be “neither necessary nor prudent.” Doing so, it added, would “most likely produce high costs for little benefit.”

The US Tuna Foundation, which advocates the FDA figure, applauded the recommendations contained by the Annapolis Center for Science-Based Public Safety. The Annapolis Center is a nonprofit educational organization that promotes responsible environmental, health, and safety decisionmaking that is based on comparative risk, as determined by science. Its study, “Mercury in the Environment: The Problems, Risks and Consequences,” was released recently by the center’s president, Dr Harold M Koenig, former Surgeon General of the US Navy.

Although the FDA regulates the food industry, some activists feel producers should be held to the mercury content guideline of the Environmental Protection Agency, which is higher than that of the FDA. Mercury appears naturally in the world’s oceans and their fish, with some species containing more than others. Fish with large quantity of mercury are swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tilefish. The FDA recommends limiting dietary intake of these fish to just a two or three four-ounce servings a month. Pregnant or nursing women are recommended to avoid consuming these fish completely. Other fish, including tuna, shellfish, and small ocean species, may be eaten regularly — safely.

“There is no safer fish than canned tuna,” said Melanie Miller, communications director for the US Tuna Foundation. “When you balance that with the many health benefits of tuna, the conclusion is a slam dunk.”

Tuna is an excellent source of lean protein, vitamins, and minerals. Research has shown that omega-3 fatty acids, found in abundance in tuna, can help lower the risk of heart disease, ease the pain of arthritis, reduce asthma complications, and even lower blood pressure and cholesterol. The American Heart Association recommends that people eat “at least two servings of fish per week.” Tuna is also lower in fat and saturated fat than beef, poultry, or pork.

In addition to the traditional tuna sandwich, the fish, canned, can be combined in pasta and other starch-based salads. Tuna can also be mixed into macaroni and cheese. Add an extra nutritional twist by substituting plain yogurt for mayonnaises. Spruce up sandwiches by stuffing tuna into pita bread or tortilla wraps, and adding cucumbers, lettuce, and tomatoes.

There can be a risk of contamination from mercury in fresh waters from either natural or industrial causes that would make the fish unsafe for consumption. The Environmental Protection Agency provides current advice on fresh water species. Also check with local health departments to see if there are any special advisories on fish caught from in the local area.

For information about the risks of mercury in seafood, call toll-free 888-SAFEFOOD, or visit the FDA’s Food Safety website at www.cfsan.fda.gov.