Scientists urge FDA to expand warning on mercury in tuna

By The Associated Press

E-mail this article Print this article Search archive

"You made a stab at tuna, but you didn't quite get it right," Marion Aller, the Florida Agriculture Department's food safety director, told the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Fish have fats that are heart-healthy and important for fetal brain development, but some varieties harbor high levels of mercury, which can damage fetal brains and small children. The FDA long has said that small children, and women who are or may become pregnant, should avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish, but the agency in 2001 sparked controversy by saying 12 ounces a week of other fish was healthful. Under fire, the FDA modified its advice, stressing that the quota should come from several varieties. Drafts also said tuna steaks and canned albacore generally were safer than canned light tuna.

FDA scientific advisers suggested a list that tells women of childbearing age which fish to avoid and which are low in mercury, along with a third category of fish with medium mercury levels that should be eaten in small amounts, perhaps once a week.

Copyright © 2003 The Seattle Times Company