ConsumerWatch

ConsumerWatch: What To Do About Mercury In Fish

Mercury in Fish – we know it's there. But ConsumerWatch conducted mercury tests on about 50 pieces of sushi and fillets found in local stores, and found just how high the levels are. We tested higher than normal levels in 20% of the samples we put through the Safe Harbor Seafood Certification machine. Our investigation found illegal levels of the toxin, above the FDA allowed 1ppm, in fillets sold at a specialty store and a large chain market. This story is about what consumers can do with this information.

Mercury comes from industrial pollution and occurs naturally in the environment. It reaches bodies of water and builds up in fish. Mercury is extremely harmful to the neurological development of unborn babies and children. And in adults, mercury can cause mild to severe symptoms including fatigue, hair loss, and neurological damage.

Dr. Jane Hightower is an expert in mercury poisoning at California Pacific Medical Center. She studied patients who were feeling symptoms of mercury poisoning and found one thing in common - they all ate larger, high end fish, the kind known to contain higher levels of mercury. "Amongst the fish they were consuming, are your swordfish, Ahi, sea bass, orange roughy, fish like that.

The patients had non-specific symptoms such as headache, fatigue, troubles thinking, insomnia, muscle and joint pain, stomach upset, hair loss."

A particular group immerged - with the largest risk of exposure - Asian-Americans. "They are three times higher in prevalence to have elevated mercury levels. It's higher than we would like." Culturally, seafood - including the higher risk varieties – is common in the diet. Since I am a member of this community, and because I eat 2 or 3 servings of fish a week, Dr. Hightower prescribed a blood test. The results found I do have a slightly higher than normal mercury level.

Directly attributing these results and any symptoms to mercury in seafood is difficult, since scientists have never given the toxin to humans to study effects.

In fact, The National Fisheries Institute disputes Dr Hightower's research saying -quote- "There have been no documented cases of mercury toxicity from normal consumption of seafood ever in this country."

The group representing the fishing industry strongly believes the FDA's allowed limit of mercury in seafood set at 1 part per million -- adequately protects consumers.

But, chemical Engineer Mal Wittenberg believes the federal limit is set too high. He calibrates his Safe Harbor mercury testing machine to test for much lower mercury levels. His limits are set at industry averages or standards found in each species of fish.

When a piece contains more than normal amounts of mercury, it's rejected even if it does not exceed the federal limit. In fact, a third of all of the fish that Safe Harbor tests fails.

Fish that falls at or below standard levels of mercury receive a Safe Harbor Seafood Certification seal.

Dr. Hightower believes these stickers are start, but they don't provide a complete picture. "I would like to see the actual number. I don't want the watered down version. We want the actual data. If it's red tagged for being a high mercury fish, consumers will know how much of it they should eat or if they should avoid it. Californians are not ordinary in their fish consumption compared to any other mid-west state. We consume more. We have to really look at what we are consuming, and we are hungry for information."

Here are Dr. Hightower's tips on how to keep your mercury levels low.

1) Keep track of mercury consumption. If you eat a fish known to have high mercury levels (0.5 mcg/l and above) then subsequent fish meals should be of the lowest mercury content for at least four weeks.

2) Exercise and sweat. Methyl mercury is removed by the body through hair, feces, nails, breast milk, saliva, and sweat. Since it comes out in sweat, towel off during and shower off after exercise to avoid re-absorption.

3) Get a blood test: If you feel symptoms, If you are a consistent consumer of fish – regardless of type, If you are planning a pregnancy.


Safe Harbor: Food distributors pay about 25 cents per pound for the testing service. That cost is passed to the retailer and sometimes to the consumer. The test takes about 45 seconds. For the first time, it allows fresh fish to be tested before it hits the dinner plate. Currently, the FDA tests batches of fish and if mercury levels exceed 1ppm (for all types of fish) a warning goes out to distributors. But that's well after the fish has been sent to market. For information on average levels of mercury for each species go to: www.safeharborfoods.com

For a personal mercury calculator go to www.gotmercury.org.