Fish and seafood (Part 2)

The Superior Health Council is currently revising its 2004 advisory report no. 7617 “Fish and Health".  This second part of the revised document, which was written jointly with the Scientific Committee set up at the FASFC, examines the risks related to exposure to dioxins and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls.

The general recommendation for the Belgian adult population currently remains to eat fish, seafood and shellfish once or twice a week, including oily fish at least once. Fish and seafood are valuable sources of essential nutrients, such as protein, polyunsaturated fatty acids, iodine, selenium and vitamin D. They are an interesting alternative to meat and meat products.

These foods can, however, contribute to exposure to certain contaminants, to which children are more sensitive. The risk mainly concerns individuals who consume large quantities of fish and do so with limited variety. It is therefore recommended to vary the species consumed, to alternate between fatty and lean fish, and respect appropriate portion sizes. A balanced intake of fish allows one to benefit from nutritional intakes while limiting exposure.