A diet high in seafood is linked to exposure to 'forever chemicals'

The findings highlight the importance of establishing public health guidelines that explain how much seafood can be safely consumed.

The study authors noted that this is especially important in coastal areas with PFAS contamination.

“Exposure to PFAS through seafood consumption is a function of both the amount of seafood people eat and the PFAS concentration in the seafood,” said the first study author. katherine crawfordAn assistant professor of environmental studies at Middlebury College told Healthline.

“We found that people in New Hampshire consume, on average, more seafood than the rest of the United States. The region is also home to PFAS-related industries, and PFAS is in the environment. and can eventually bioaccumulate in organisms such as fish and shellfish,” Crawford added.

Taken together, these findings suggest that even though the PFAS concentrations measured in seafood samples in this study are within the range previously reported in other studies, people are exposed to more PFAS than elsewhere. This suggests that you may have been exposed.

For this reason, Crawford and his research team urge the development of public health guidelines for seafood consumption that take these findings into account.

“We need more awareness and strict guidelines about what is considered safe in these chemicals. “It would be ideal to ban their use or impose strict regulations, but eliminating them is unlikely,” he said. julia zumpanoa registered dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic Human Nutrition Center.

“People should limit known sources or PFAS in nonstick cookware, personal care products, cleaning products, oil-resistant products, water-resistant fabrics, and stain-resistant products.”

Pregnant women and children are considered to be the most vulnerable population when it comes to overconsumption of seafood.

“Pregnancy and early childhood are periods of rapid development in a person's life, making them susceptible to exposure to chemicals that can interfere with these normal developmental processes,” Crawford said. .

“Therefore, chemical exposures that occur during pregnancy and early childhood can have significant health implications.”

Pregnant or breastfeeding people and young children cannot tolerate chemicals found in certain types of seafood, especially if consumed in large amounts.

“When a pregnant or breastfeeding woman is exposed to chemicals, those chemicals can be passed to the fetus or through breast milk,” she explained. Dr. David Lovea food systems and sustainability expert and associate professor at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

“During young people's bodies, they are particularly sensitive to chemical exposure,” Love told Healthline.

Experts agreed that the new research results improve our understanding of the risks of PFAS exposure.

“I think we need more studies like this using a variety of seafood from around the United States and both farmed and wild imports to make recommendations about the risks posed by specific seafood species.” Mr. Love said. “PFAS is an emerging risk that we need to recognize and continue to monitor and assess, but we have not yet established national guidelines for seafood.”

It's also important to note that some types of seafood are less threatening.

“For the general population, fish (seafood) should be limited to about 12 ounces per week, but fish high in mercury should be very limited in frequency and quantity,” Zumpano said. .

According to guidelines from Food and Drug Administration (FDA)the best selection of seafood based on mercury content is:

• cod
• crab
• flounder
• salmon
• Scallops
• shrimp
• light tuna can

Fish to avoid include king mackerel, marlin, shark, swordfish, tuna, and bigeye.

Regarding guidelines, Zumpano recommended choosing fish most often from the “best choice” list, limiting fish from the “good choice” list, and avoiding fish on the high mercury list.

Zumpano says it's also a good idea to pay attention to the type of fish you use. For example, lump light tuna has less mercury than albacore or yellowfin tuna.

“Ideally choose canned tuna that is low in mercury and has been tested for mercury content,” says Zumpano.

A new study shows that eating seafood regularly may increase your risk of exposure to toxic chemicals.

As for the guidelines, the average person should adhere to consuming 12 ounces of seafood per week. However, fish high in mercury should be limited.

Experts and researchers said stricter public health guidelines on seafood consumption are needed.