FDA Study Will Evaluate Children’s Exposure to Mercury from Seafood
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has asked the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) to conduct an independent study to assess young children’s exposure to mercury from consuming seafood. FDA is partnering with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the study, which supports the goals of FDA’s Closer to Zero Action Plan for reducing babies’ and young children’s exposure to toxic heavy metals from foods.
While seafood carries certain healthful benefits for children and mothers, it is also the primary dietary source of mercury, which is spread throughout the environment by both natural and human-made processes. Mercury can damage the nervous system, and babies and young children are more vulnerable to the harmful health effects of the toxic metal. Seafood can also be a source of exposure for other naturally occurring and human-made contaminants.