Health recommends avoiding the consumption of swordfish, shark, bluefin tuna and pike up to 10 years, lactating women and pregnant women

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Pregnant women, those who are planning their pregnancy or breastfeeding as well as children up to 10 years is the 'vulnerable population' to which the Ministry of Health, through its Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition ( Aesan), recommends avoiding the consumption of fish in species with high mercury content , such as swordfish, shark, bluefin tuna and pike.

In addition, for children between 10 and 14 years, also considered as 'vulnerable population', it is recommended to limit the consumption of species with high content in this metal to 120 grams per month.

If it is the intake of species with low and medium mercury content , it is recommended to all this 'vulnerable population' the consumption of three or four portions of fish per week, trying to vary between blue and white fish.

The population in general can consume three or four servings a week of all species of fish, also varying between blue and white, according to Asean, who affirms that "eating fish is safe and healthy."

Direct intake of mercury, or through the placenta and breast milk, can affect the developing central nervous system, explains this agency that has updated its 2011 recommendations for certain species given the new scientific and technical information has made its review necessary .

The amount of mercury in fish is related to their position within the food chain, therefore, predatory, large and longer-lived fish such as swordfish, shark, bluefin tuna or pike have higher concentrations.

Some 40,000 posters will be displayed in health centers and hospitals with the new Asean consumption recommendations for maximum dissemination. An information campaign in which regional health authorities and other interested parties will also participate.

The swordfish or emperor, the bluefin tuna ( Thunnus thynnus ), the shark (dogfish, marrajo, myrtle, pintarroja and tintorera) and the pike are the species with high mercury content.

Haddock, anchovy or anchovy herring, cod, bacaladilla, cockle, mackerel, squid, shrimp, crab, canyon, coal or stoker, carp, squid, clam or clam, choco or sepia or cuttlefish, crayfish, coquina, gilthead, sprat, prawn, horse mackerel, lobster, shrimp, European sole, limanda or lenguadina, sea bass, mussel, merlan, hake or whiting, razor, oyster, palometa, flounder, pota, octopus, keel, Atlantic salmon or salmon, Pacific salmon, sardine, Sardine, sardinopa, plaice, and trout are species with low mercury content.

Asean says that the species not mentioned above are understood as of medium content.

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