Hello imjustnextdoor~
Here's what the experts advise with regard to PCBs in fish:
* Because PCBs may vary from species to species, you might eat
healthier if you consume small amounts from several different types of
fish, rather than eating one large amount from one fish.
* Choose a small fish instead of a larger one. They will usually have
lower levels of PCBs, because PCB levels gradually build up over time
as the fish ages.
* Thoroughly clean, prepare, and cook the fish. PCBs tend to store in
fat, so preparing the fish properly can make a real difference. Remove
all the skin, all the fat along the back of the fish, the belly fat
and guts, and the fatty dark meat all along the fillet. Bake, broil,
frill, or steam the fish, and use an elevated rack when possible, so
that the fat of the fish can drain away. Frying fish may make the
chemical levels more dangerous. Breaded or battered fish may also be a
problem, because the coating may hold in chemicals instead of letting
them cook out. Do not reuse any cooking oils. Do not eat raw fish or
fish that isn’t well cooked. Just properly cleaning and cooking the
fish can reduce PCB levels by 50%. “Assuming a 50 percent reduction in
contaminant levels it is possible to eat twice the recommended
frequency of fish and remain at the same level of risk (for the
general population). This does not apply to people in the high risk
category.” The high-risk category includes children and pregnant and
nursing women. (“PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORIES AND GUIDANCE ON FISH
CONSUMPTION FOR RECREATIONAL FISHING, 2003 PCB FISH CONSUMPTION
ADVISORIES,” a PDF file that you can view as a text file at:
http://216.239.51.104/search?q=cache:IIrMsmuPagoJ:www.state.nj.us/dep/dsr/PCB_2003_Advisory.pdf+PCB+fish+%22How+to%22&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
) For more detailed instructions on preparing fish, go to the Indiana
State Department of Health’s article “How To Prepare Fish,” at:
http://www.state.in.us/isdh/dataandstats/fish/fish_99/how_to.htm
* Don’t eat seafood often. “The advisory recommendations are based on
evenly spaced (e.g. 4 meals per month) consumption patterns over time.
This does not mean that you can safely consume a higher number of
meals in one month if you only catch and eat fish 4 months out of the
year.” (“How To Protect Your Health While Eating Fish,” by Maryland
Department of the Environment,”
http://www.mde.state.md.us/CitizensInfoCenter/FishandShellfish/protect_health/index.asp
)
* Some fish and seafood is also thought, in general, to be more safe.
For example: Pacific Cod, Pacific Flatfish (flounder, sole), Herring,
and wild Alaskan Salmon. Some fish are thought to be less safe, such
as: Atlantic Halibut, Mackerel, Orange Roughy, Shark, Stripped Bass,
and Swordfish. For more information on which fish may be more or less
safe, check out The Children’s Health Environmental Coalition’s
article “Which Fish?” at:
http://www.checnet.org/healthehouse/education/articles-detail.asp?Main_ID=160
Go to the first paragraph and download the PDF file “Seafood Selection
Chart.”
And here's what they say about mercury in fish:
* All seafood absorbs mercury, so to fully protect yourself from
mercury, you should eat only fish from fresh waters. Farm raised salt
water fish may also prove harmful, since sea water is often used. You
can test for mercury in your own body by doing a Porphyrin Analysis
test. (Here’s one place to find such a test:
http://www.beatcfsandfms.org/html/GeorgesTests_M_.html#porph )
As for "off the shelf kits," it's a great idea, but it seems nobody
has managed to create one. Kits for testing mercury and PCBs in fish
do not appear to be available to the public. If you check out “How To
Protect Your Health While Eating Fish” (mentioned above; find it at:
http://www.mde.state.md.us/CitizensInfoCenter/FishandShellfish/protect_health/index.asp
) and scroll to the bottom of the page, you’ll see a link titled “How
to test fish.” By clicking this link, you’ll see streaming video
showing how most states go about checking fish. Apparently, this is
not something that can be done at home.
You may also find this article, “PCBs in Fish” by the OEHHA, helpful:
www.oehha.ca.gov/fish/general/pcb.html
I hope this helps! :)
Kriswrite
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