July 18, 2006
Purdue teams with state agencies to educate people about fish
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"Fish for Your Health," formerly called Angling Indiana, is a site that provides the Indiana statewide fish consumption advisory, as well as information regarding commercial fish that can help educate consumers all across the country, said Charles Santerre, associate professor of foods and nutrition.
"We provide data specific to Hoosiers while giving nutritional information that can apply to anyone in the United States," said Santerre, who specializes in chemical contaminants in food. "We don't want to scare people because many fish are safe to eat, but there are some fish that pregnant woman should never eat.
"The message is clear: Eat fish, but be careful about some fish if you are pregnant, nursing or feeding the fish to a child."
Information provided on the Web site simplifies the Indiana fish consumption advice compiled by the state that has been published in booklet form since 1972. Both projects are a cooperative effort of Purdue, the Indiana State Department of Health, Indiana Department of Environmental Management and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
Santerre said the group plans to distribute information in an easy-to-read, one-page format throughout the state, especially focusing on public health offices and clinics that serve low-income women who are at risk nutritionally.
"However, the risks to your health may be greater if you avoid eating fish all together," Santerre said. "In one of our studies, we found that 39 percent of low-income Hoosier women of child-bearing age had not eaten fish during the past month. So for these women, it is better to include salmon, trout, mackerel, herring or other fish that are high in the healthy fats. These fats are shared from the mother to the fetus or nursing infant and are important for healthy brain and eye development."
Some varieties of fish that could be purchased in grocery stores or restaurants can contain high levels of methylmercury that, if eaten regularly, can pass from the mother to the fetus or nursing infant and cause harm to the nervous system. The list includes swordfish, shark, king mackerel, tilefish, tuna steaks, grouper, orange roughy, marlin, Chilean sea bass and walleye. Santerre said pregnant women, nursing mothers and young children should avoid these fish.
Likewise, there are fish that can be caught in Indiana or any other state that should never be eaten because they may contain very high levels of pollutants, like mercury or polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB).
The Web site now provides information in Spanish and has added information for those who follow a Kosher diet.
"Not only do we want people to eat fish, but we want them to continue to fish recreationally because, like sitting down at the dinner table together, it's a good way for parents and grandparents to connect with their kids," Santerre said. "Our main goal is to encourage fish consumption and recreational angling while, at the same time, helping people to make informed decisions to limit their risks from pollutants and gain all the benefits from eating fish."
For example, health experts recommend that women eat 8-12 ounces of fish per week. A chart shows the types of fish that are known to have high, moderate, low or lowest level of mercury to help consumers minimize exposure to mercury in commercial fish. The chart also shows the maximum amount of fish that should be consumed by women of child-bearing age.
Carl Behnke, chef instructor in Purdue's Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management, has contributed a section on the Web site about how to clean fish. In a slideshow demonstration, he shows the proper way to fillet a fish and points out the fatty deposits where contaminants reside.
"Not many people question if their food is safe," Behnke said. "Very often the general public operates under a blind trust that the food supply is safe and that just because something is natural, it's OK. This Web site will show them that's not always the case."
Writer: Maggie Morris, (765) 494-2432, maggiemorris@purdue.edu
Sources: Charles Santerre, (765) 496-3443, santerre@purdue.edu
Carl Behnke, (765) 494-9887, chefcarl@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
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