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The AESAN (Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition) has updated the recommendations on fish intake regarding mercury levels. And of course, one reads "fish" and "mercury" in the same sentence and the seven evils enter. Do we have to worry? These are the keys to knowing what fish we should eat ... and how much.

Where does fish mercury come from?

Until the hand of man appeared, the mercury reached the sea only by volcanic eruptions or by erosion of the rocks by water and wind. Currently, when the mercury is exploited as raw material, its waste is also dumped into the sea. It is important to differentiate inorganic mercury from organic mercury, which is more toxic. When the bacteria react with the mercury they turn it into methylmercury and this new molecule ends up being part of the fish meat.

Not all fish are the same

Luckily, not all fish have the same amount of mercury. The main factor is your amount of fat. This is because mercury "sticks" better to fat than to other areas of the animal's body. Thus, blue fish, which have more fat, may contain more mercury. On the other hand, in terms of fish and mercury, size does matter. We already know that big fish eats the small fish. And if the small fish has mercury and the big fish eats a lot of small fish ... in the end it is the big predators that are the most loaded.

With what fish do we have to be more careful?

Only four species are classified as "high in mercury": the swordfish or emperor, the pike, the shark (dogfish, marrajo, myrtle, pintarroja and tintorera) and bluefin tuna, which is now consumed in ways such as tataki , the tartare or the sushi. This must be taken into account especially in children. Important! When we talk about bluefin tuna, we don't mean canned tuna, which is usually light or beautiful bluefin tuna. As "low-mercury" species, many of the most frequently consumed species are considered as salmon, sardine, palometa, trout, anchovy, sea bream, sea bass, hake, octopus, sepia, squid or mussel.

What are the new recommendations of AESAN?

The new recommendations on fish consumption regarding its mercury content are:

-For the vulnerable population (children, pregnant women and nursing mothers) the restriction is increased for the four species identified with a high mercury content: swordfish / emperor, bluefin tuna, shark and pike. Pregnant women, who plan to become pregnant, or who are breastfeeding and children up to 10 years old, should avoid using these four species. Until now the recommendation was only up to three years. Children between 10 and 14 years should limit the consumption of these four species to 120 grams per month. The agency recommends that this vulnerable population consume three or four servings of blue and white fish of small species.

-For the general population, it is recommended to consume up to three or four servings of fish per week, trying in all cases to vary the species between white and blue fish.

What are the consequences of consuming excess mercury?

Methylmercury is a neurotoxin that affects the developing central nervous system, hence the fetus and younger children are the most sensitive to this metal. This occurs because it is lipophilic, likes fat, and makes it easy to cross the placenta and the blood-brain barrier. Effects on weight gain, locomotor function and auditory function have also been observed.

In short: eating fish is safe.

Not only is it safe but it is also recommended and in fact the Ministry of Health advises to consume it several times a week. The EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) has established that the consumption of about one or two servings of fish / shellfish per week and up to three or portions per week during pregnancy is associated with better functional results of neurodevelopment in children compared With the absence of consumption. And in adults, with a lower risk of mortality from coronary heart disease. Therefore, don't panic! You just have to be careful with the species mentioned in the vulnerable population, and ... enjoy what the sea brings us!

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