Studies of fish consumption as source of methylmercury should consider fish-meal-fed farmed fish and other animal foods.
The co-occurrence of fish MeHg and omega-3 fatty acids in wild species can indeed be optimized by choosing certain species. Farmed finfish and shellfish that are fed fish-meal, however, can bioconcentrate both MeHg (in muscle) and organohalogen pollutants passed on in the fat components [Dorea, J.G., 2006. Fish meal in animal feed and human exposure to persistent bioaccumulative and toxic substances. J. Food Prot. 69, 2777-2785); when fish-meal is used to feed farm animals it may offer the worst of both worlds: saturated fat (with organohalogen pollutants) and MeHg. It is time to address the dietary sources of Hg derived from animals raised on fish-meal that may contribute to increase tissue Hg concentrations.
Dórea
José G
JG
Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidade de Brasilia, C.P. 04322, 70919-970 Brasilia, DF, Brazil. dorea@rudah.com.br
D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis / Q000592:standards; D000818:Animals; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000032:analysis; D005396:Fish Products / Q000032:analysis / Q000592:standards; D005398:Fisheries; D005399:Fishes / Q000378:metabolism; D020387:Food Chain; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000633:toxicity
D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D008767:Methylmercury Compounds; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical