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Sunday, July 28, 2002Pregnant women would have to eat more than two cans of tuna a day for weeks to really be at risk, FDA scientist Michael Bolger argued Thursday. ..The FDA deems safe fish that contain less than 1 part per million of methylmercury. The average commercial fish contains 0.12 ppm. Canned tuna on average contains only slightly more than that, but amounts can vary to as much as 0.75 parts per million. Consumer advocates, however, feel that the danger is still there. Pregnant women might overdose on tuna, you know: But the FDA's advisory panel, ending a three-day inquiry into the controversy, countered that no one knows what proportion of the mercury in a woman's diet tuna actually contributes to. In fact, women could absorb far more mercury if they also eat freshwater fish that friends or family catch in local lakes or rivers. Some state waters are heavily polluted with mercury, and the FDA doesn't regulate recreationally caught fish. What are pregnant women to do? The beef has E. Coli, the chicken has Salmonella, the bread and potatoes have acrylamide, and now all the fish have mercury. They could just stop eating. But then, that would put their babies at risk, too, wouldn’t it? posted by Sydney on 7/28/2002 06:56:00 AM 0 comments 0 Comments: |
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