However, pregnant women or women intending to become pregnant within the next 6 months should be careful about which fish they eat. It is suggested that pregnant women eat 2 to 3 serves of fish every week for the good health of themselves and their developing baby. Pregnant women should limit the amount of fish they eat over time Note: 150g is equivalent to approximately 2 frozen crumbed fish portions. Shark (flake) or billfish (swordfish, broadbill, marlin) and no other fish that week Shark (flake) or billfish (swordfish, broadbill, marlin) and no other fish that fortnightĪny fish and seafood other than shark (flake) or billfish (swordfish, broadbill, marlin) Orange roughy (sea perch) or catfish and no other fish that week Pregnant women and women planning pregnancyĪny fish and seafood other than orange roughy (sea perch), catfish, shark (flake) or billfish (swordfish, broadbill, marlin) Refer to this table for advice on consumption of fish. Advice on the consumption of fish was updated to reflect the Joint FAO and WHO Expert Committee (JECFA) research.Īdvice was extended to cover pregnant women, women intending to become pregnant within the next 6 months, young children and the general population. The Australian guidelines for safe levels of mercury in the diet were revised in 2004 and again in 2020 by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). Australian guidelines for safe levels of mercury in the diet In fact, it seems that mercury levels in some shark species caught in Victorian waters are particularly high. This position was reaffirmed in 2007.Īustralian research shows that mercury levels in some fish, particularly shark, could be even higher than in the areas studied for this research. These researchers recommended reducing the amount of fish known to contain mercury in the diet, particularly for pregnant women. The Joint Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) reviewed these studies in 2003. Studies of the brain development of children whose mothers ate significant amounts of fish with high mercury levels during pregnancy have been carried out in New Zealand, the Faroe Islands and the Seychelles. International researchers' recommendations Memory, language and attention span may also be affected. The effects on the brain and nervous system may not be noticed until developmental milestones – such as walking and talking – are delayed. This mercury can be passed on through the placenta to her developing baby. The mercury in fish can lead to raised mercury levels in the mother. Unborn babies are at increased risk from mercury. However, for healthy adults (who are not pregnant) and older children (6 years and over), fish with high levels of mercury should not be eaten more than once a week. Mercury from most fish sold in Australia is not a health risk, when the fish is consumed as part of a normal diet. Some of the health benefits of fish include that it is: shellfish including prawns, lobsters and oystersįish is an important part of a healthy diet.This is due to factors such as the type of fish, size, location, habitat, diet and age.įish that are predatory (eat other fish) are large and at the top of the food chain, and so tend to contain more mercury.įish that contain higher levels of mercury include:Įxamples of fish that contain lower levels of mercury include: Mercury levels differ from one species of fish to the next. Some fish contain more mercury than others This organic form of mercury is absorbed by the tissues of fish through their gills as they swim and through their digestive tracts as they feed. Methylmercury in fish mainly comes from mercury in ocean sediment that is transformed into methylmercury by microorganisms. The organic form of mercury, particularly methylmercury, is the most dangerous. Mercury is common in the environment and has 3 forms: Infants and young children should also limit the amount of fish with high levels of mercury that they eat. Research is ongoing, but women should be selective about the kinds and amounts of fish they eat during pregnancy. The mercury may slow their development in the early years. Babies developing in the uterus (womb) seem to be most vulnerable to the effects of mercury on their nervous systems. Food processing, preparation and cooking techniques don’t significantly reduce the amount of mercury in fish. It binds to proteins in the body (such as proteins found in muscle tissue). This mercury is in the more toxic, methylmercury form. Most people are exposed to mercury via food.įish take up mercury from streams and oceans as they feed. Mercury is a naturally occurring element that is found in air, water and food.
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