I appreciate Kate McIntosh's information on the mercury levels in fish.
I will try to get a copy of the article in Consumer Reports this week. I
am copying part of a newsletter written in November, 1999 by
Preventative Medicine Group located in Cleveland, Ohio. This newsletter
is sent out to their patients several times per year.  I believe this is
excellent information to share with any pregnant or nursing mother who
is consuming fish as part of her diet.

As Kate said, the FDA limit for human consumption of mercury is 1.0
ppm.  "Fish that most commonly violate this level are large predator
fish such as shark, swordfish and large species of tuna used for tuna
steak or sushi.  Canned tuna, composed of smaller species of tuna such
as skipjack or albacore has much lower levels of methyl mercury,
averaging only about 0.17 ppm.  Sport-caught predator fresh water
species like pike and walleye commonly have mercury levels in the 1.0
ppm range.  Other fresh-water or coastal fish species, especially Great
Lakes fish, have elevated levels, particularly in areas where mercury
levels in the local environment are elevated due to industrial sources
such as Lake Erie as opposed to northern Lake Superior.  Other
contaminants include dioxin, DDT and PCB's.

Two ocean fish known to contain especially high levels of contaminants
are striped bass and bluefish.  The FDA also recommends limiting
consumption of grouper, martin, and orange roughy.  Mercury is toxic to
all: however, women of child-bearing age or pregnant women should be
especially cautious about consuming fish with high mercury levels.  Fish
that have less risky mercury levels of less than 0.2 ppm include canned
tuna, shrimp, pollock, salmon, cod, catfish, clams, flatfish, crabs and
scallops.  In order to minimize exposure to contaminants in any fish,
choose smaller fish within a species because they are typically younger
and haven't been exposed to toxins for as long as older, bigger fish.
Farm raised fish typically don't contain as many toxins as wild fish due
to their controlled environment."

Janet Talmadge, IBCLC
Naperville, IL

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