WP-Limits Urged on Eating Tuna

[LiviaOlivia]

Limits Urged on Eating Tuna
U.S. Agencies Cite Levels of Mercury
By Marc Kaufman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, March 20, 2004


For the first time, the federal government has warned pregnant and nursing women and young children away from eating more than a limited amount of canned albacore "white" tuna because of potential hazards from mercury in the fish.

<snip>

Coal-fired power plants are the greatest single source of mercury in the environment. Emissions from the plants drift into lakes and streams, where they are transformed by bacteria into methylmercury. Fish aborb the methylmercury, then are eaten by larger and larger fish -- ending with deep-sea fish such as tuna and swordfish.

The Clinton administration proposed rules to limit mercury emissions by 2007. The Bush administration has pushed back the deadline to begin cutting mercury emissions to 2010.

Yesterday's fish advisory was sharply criticized by the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit group of environmental investigators. It has challenged the FDA, saying the agency is withholding information regarding mercury in seafood and misusing the scientific data it has.

"The coal and seafood industries' interests today beat out the health interests of America's children in the form of dangerous advice from the FDA on so-called 'safe' consumption levels for fish contaminated with mercury, particularly tuna," senior vice president Richard Wiles said in a release.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A9156-2004Mar19.html

[no_arbusto]

1. Where are all of those "Sportsmen for Bush"?

Oh yeah, "sportsman" is really just a GOP codeword for someone who is against the banning of machine guns and grenade launchers.

[w4rma]

2. I liked to eat fish.

:(

[foo_bar]

3. that explains the $.99 albacore sashimi

How many ppm are we talking? Is short term memory loss the primary symptom? How many ppm are we talking?

[baby_bear]

4. This is a dreadful article

I'm surprised that the WP did not do better fact checking.

<snip>
The potential danger from eating tuna is limited to children and women who are, or may soon be, pregnant, because mercury in very low amounts is harmful only in early years of development.
</snip>

This is not true. Adults are neurologically susceptible to mercury affects as well. The emphasis has been on children and fetuses but not because they are the only ones adversely affected.

I also noted that the article did not discuss larger "light" tuna, specifically yellowfin, that goes into "light" tuna in addition to skipjack, which is a relatively small fish and not expected to have bioaccumulated a lot of methylmercury in its tissues.

There is a lot of information NOT here that I suspect the Tuna Foundation could clear up in a minute. But you can't FOIA them for the extensive information they have about mercury in canned tuna.
But maybe Congress could do something like haul them before a committee hearing to tell us what they know about mercury content in various species put into canned tuna, and how long they have known it.

s_m

[jamesinca]

6. I think it was a few months ago

I read about this in an OB-GYN article. It is just now going public. It was at the end of January I was in a discussion about this with somebody, the article had been published in a journal/professional magazine before that date. They know and they have know for some time. I have a 1998 publication here that says mercury contamination from industrial waste and seafood have caused serious public health problems. 1998 they knew!!!

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From Mosbys medical dictionary:

Mercury poisoning, a toxic condition caused by the ingestion or inhalation of mercury or a mercury compound. The chronic form (chronic usually implies more than 6 months duration), resulting from inhalation of the vapors or dust of mercurial compounds or from repeated ingestion of very small amounts, is characterized by irritability, excessive saliva, loosened teeth, gum disorders, slurred speech, tremors and staggering. Symptoms of acute mercury poisoning appear in a few minutes to a half hour and include a metallic taste in the mouth, thirst, nausea, vomiting, severe abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea and renal failure that may result in death. The presence of mercury in the body is determined by a urine test.
Treatment varies. Free mercury, such as in thermometers, is not absorbed in the GI tract, but because it is very volatile, hazardous vapors may penetrate ordinary toxic dust respirators, causing poisoning by inhalation. Mercury compounds are found in agricultural fungicides and in certain antiseptics and pigments; they are used extensively in industry. Industrial waste containing mercury have been identified in some areas, and seafood from contaminated waters has caused serious public health problems. Also called hydrargyrism, mercurialism.
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Minamata disease is something else to look up.

[hatrack]

11. Faroe Island study showed significant damage to adolescents, adults

I posted something in Environment/Energy a few weeks ago about a British study.

It showed significant neurological damage to adolescents and adults who consumed fish (as Faroe Islanders not surprisingly do) as a major element of their diets.

So, why are we saying that pregnant women and small children alone need be concerned?

[pinniped]

5. Canned tuna fishing methods also kill numerous sea turtles...

which is a reason I don't buy canned tuna at all anymore.

I'll only purchase "line caught" tuna from reputable restaurants or outlets.

[foo_bar]

7. good karma is tasty

"Mmmm. Mmmmm! Mmmmm. Fay, this is scrumptious! Is this corn hand-shucked?"

[saigon68]

8. LOL-- no need for nite lights at my house

As an older man who "gets up a lot at night"-- I can say that the 4 or 5 tuna sandwiches I eat each week, help me "Glow in the Dark"

[RamblingRose]

9. What IS safe to eat anymore?

I've crossed off beef, salmon, tuna, genetically modified foods such as corn, though cross-contamination can occur in organically grown crops, ...

I'm getting pretty sick of pasta & chicken. Even the chicken is questionable.

Any additions to the list?

[PartyPooper]

12. Well, do you know where your veggies come from?

Have you heard of lettuce and vegetables contaminated with rocket fuel? I kid you not!

http://www.ewg.org/reports/rocketlettuce

:scared:

[blindpig]

10. look at the bright side

if we can't eat tuna perhaps we won't exterminate them!