Mercury and PCB Toxins in Fish

16 February 2012

Mercury is a dangerous contaminant found in seafood. It tends to affect the nervous system, and the developing nervous system in the unborn baby is particularly sensitive to mercury.

Some species of fish accumulate more mercury than most:

• Shark (flake in the fish and chip shops)
• Ray
• Swordfish
• Barramundi
• Gemfish
• Orange roughy
• Ling
• Southern bluefin tuna

While mercury contamination is a growing concern, Food Standards Australia New Zealand states that 2-3 serves per week of most types of fish is safe to eat.

Mercury isn’t our only concern. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), also pose a threat.  PCBs are synthetic chemicals that were once used in hydraulic fluids and oils and electrical capacitors and transformers. Heavy use of these chemicals in industry has resulted in environmental contamination worldwide, especially in fish. PCBs are dangerous because they act like hormones, wreaking havoc on the nervous system and contributing to a variety of illnesses, including cancer, infertility, and other sexual problems.

The dangers aren’t removed in farmed fish.  In fact, industrial strength fire retardant and high levels of PCBs have been reported in farmed salmon.  In my book, eating farmed fish is equivalent to eating a battery-laid egg – immoral and nutrient devoid. In general - the less human interference with your food the better.

Features of Green Pasture cod liver oil to reduce contamination:

• The fish used in our Fermented Cod Liver oil and Skate Liver oil are exclusively wild caught in and around the Arctic region. A substantial amount of today's cod liver oil is produced from farmed fish.
• Oils use natural fatty acid complex, nothing removed or changed
• Non-industrialized production methods – only traditional methods are used
• Flavours are all food-grade essential oils and have nutrient value. We do not use chemical 'flavours', but real oils.
• All oils are third party tested (an external tester is used) - results are below

Contaminant testing for Green Pasture oils show that oils are fresh and mercury and PCB levels are negligible

Testing Standards

Norwegian Medical Standards (NMS)
European Pharmacopia Standards (EPS)
California Prop 65

Environmental and Sustainability Statement

Green Pastures is committed to recognizing and implementing conservative environmental approaches whenever possible.

Our manufacturing plant is a 50,000 square foot clear-roof manufacturing building. This solar building allows us to use the sun for heating, drying by-products, and fermenting. We are currently working on a solar water heating system. In addition, we have a biomass boiler available for implementation as our needs increase.

Many fish oils are produced from fish that harvest the base of the sea life food chain.  Many within the industry frown on this practice as this activity directly competes with other sea life within the ocean eco-system.  Green Pastures recognizes the importance of krill and other small fish as the base for all sea life.

Green pastures works exclusively with companies that are certified members of the Marine Stewardship Council.  The Marine Stewardship Councils is a world wide organization with a mission to use its ecolabel and fishery certification program to contribute to the health of the world's oceans by recognising and rewarding sustainable fishing practices, influencing the choices people make when buying seafood, and working with our partners to transform the seafood market to a sustainable basis.

OMRI Organic Certification: OMRI lists several of our fish by-products as suitable for use on organic land and farms. Some of the products they certify include Liquid Fish Soil Rescue and Feed Grade Cod Liver Oil.

If other brands of fish oil don't report their source of fish, processing methods, and testing methods - who knows what you're eating???