| MONTPELIER, VT - August 28 - The New England Zero Mercury Campaign released results today showing that over half of the 1400 consumers surveyed are unaware of mercury exposure risks to women and kids from consumption of canned tuna. The Mercury Policy Project, a campaign partner, called on FDA and health departments to strengthen fish consumption advisories and require businesses selling fish to post mercury fish warnings.
"Over one year ago, FDA's advisory committee recommended that pregnant women and kids be advised to limit consumption of canned tuna," said MPP Director Michael Bender. "During the committee meeting, FDA scientists stated that upwards of 50 percent of women of childbearing age are unaware of exposure risks to mercury from eating fish. Our results are similar and bolster the need for FDA to stop delaying and act now."
Across the six states, 1394 New Englanders were informally surveyed about their knowledge of government advisories about mercury contaminated fish. Results include:
-- 36 percent percent of those surveyed were unaware that the government advises people to limit eating certain fish due to mercury.
-- 45 percent were unaware that women of childbearing age and young children should not eat swordfish, tuna steak, and certain freshwater fish because of mercury contamination.
-- 59 percent were unaware that state health departments advise pregnant women and young children to limit consumption of canned tuna, one of the most consumed fish in the U.S.
Methylmercury-the organic form mercury assumes in fish-is a potent neurotoxin that can cause nervous system and brain damage in the developing fetus, infants, and young children. According to the Centers for Disease Control, one in 12 women of childbearing age in the U.S. has unsafe mercury levels, translating to over 300,000 babies born at risk for mercury exposure in the U.S. each year.
Currently, FDA also advises pregnant women and young children not to eat swordfish, shark, tilefish and king mackerel due to high mercury levels. FDA also advises sensitive populations to limit commercially caught fish consumption to 12 ounces per week while the EPA advises limiting consumption of recreationally-caught fish for these populations to 6 ounces per week for adults and 2 ounces per week for children.
Twelve states now warn pregnant women and children to limit consumption of canned tuna, and some states advise that the albacore "white" canned tuna has much higher mercury levels than the "light" canned tuna. Recent testing by the Mercury Policy Project found that the "white" tuna has mercury levels four times higher than the "light" canned tuna.
A number of stores and restaurants across New England have joined the campaign's SMART Fish Campaign and voluntarily agreed to post mercury fish advisories for their customers. A national supermarket chain, Wild Oats, Inc. is voluntarily posting similar advisories and grocery stores chains in California are required to do so as well.
For more information:
http://www.mercurypolicy.org
http://www.cleanwateraction.org/mercury
http://www.mercurypolicy.org/new/documents/CanTheTuna061903.pdf
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