nals oh STANDARDS me ON 24 Sow AGENCY SCOTLAND Buidheann Inbhe-Bidhe — an Alba From: Food Standards Agency Scotland 18 June 2004 To: Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care SACNICOT REPORT ON THE RISKS AND BENEFITS OF EATING FISH Purpose 1. To inform the Minister that the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) and the Committee on Toxicity (COT) have now completed their report on the risks and benefits of eating fish. 2. Apress briefing for journalists to launch the report will be held in London and broadcast live on the Food Standards Agency (FSA) web-site on Thursday 24 June, until which time the contents of this minute are embargoed. 3. Asa result of the conclusions of this report, the FSA will be extending its advice on fish consumption Priority 4. Routine. Background 5. In 1994, the UK Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy (COMA) recommended that people should eat two portions of fish, one of which should be oily, weekly. 6. In 2002, the FSA asked SACN and COT to review this advice to ensure that it remained relevant. The aim was to weigh the nutritional benefits of eating fish against the possible risks and, if necessary, to update dietary advice for the public on consumption of fish, with particular reference to oily fish. 7. This report has now been completed. The main points are discussed below and a summary of the conclusions is attached at Annex A. 66" Floor, St. Magnus House, 25 Guild Street, Aberdeen AB11 6NJ 1 Tel: Fax: Email:RESTRICTED Discussion 8. 10. " 12. The committees stated that the majority of the UK population does not consume enough fish, particularly oily fish, and should be encouraged to increase consumption They endorsed the COMA population guideline recommendation that people should eat at least two portions of fish a week, of which one should be oily They noted that it might be beneficial for some subgroups to consume more than the guideline recommendation but were unable to identify a precise level. It was decided that a guideline range for oily fish consumption, based on the nutritional and toxicological considerations (levels at which there would be clear benefits without undue risk), should be recommended. Guideline ranges for oily fish consumption were recommended as follows: * Women of reproductive age and gir's should aim to consume within the range of one to two portions of oily fish a week, based on maintaining consumption of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs below the TDI of 2 pg WHO- TEQ/kg bodyweight per day + Women past reproductive age, boys and men should aim to consume within the range of one to four portions of oily fish a week, based on maintaining consumption of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs below the guideline value of 8 pg WHO-TEQ/kg bodyweight per day. The Agency will update the Minister on any further developments over the coming week. Conclusion 13. To inform the Minister that: = SACN and COT have now completed their report on the risks and benefits of eating fish * A press briefing for journalists to launch the report will be held in London and broadcast live on the FSA web-site on Thursday 24 June, until which time the contents of this minute are embargoed. * As a result of the conclusions of this report, the FSA will be extending its advice on fish consumption. Food Standards Agency Scotland 18 June 6" Floor, St. Maanus House, 25 Guild Street, Aberdeen AB11 6N.! 2 Tel Fax: Emall:ANNEX A RESTRICTED SACNICOT REPORT ON RISKS AND BENEFITS OF EATING FISH: CONCLUSIONS 1 In the conclusions of the report the committees have: stated that the majority of the UK population does not consume enough fish, particularly oily fish, and should be encouraged to increase consumption endorsed the COMA population guideline recommendation that people should eat at least two portions of fish a week, of which one should be oily ‘Consumption of this amount would confer significant public health benefits to the UK population in terms of reducing CVD risk. There may also be beneficial effects on foetal development. recommended that this also apply to pregnant and lactating women, subject to the restrictions on certain fish — marlin, swordfish, shark and, to a lesser extent, tuna — due to methylmercury contamination, noted that with regard to high levels of oily fish consumption and the dioxins and dioxin-like PCB contaminants therein, the evidence base is insufficient to conduct a quantitative risk-benefit analysis. Separate intake guidelines were, therefore, developed for different population groups. noted that it might be beneficial for some subgroups to consume more than the guideline recommendation but was unable to identify a precise level. It was decided that 2 guideline range for oily fish consumption, based on the nutritional and toxicological considerations (levels at which there would be clear benefits without undue risk), should be recommended. 2. Guideline ranges for oily fish consumption were recommended as follows: 3 women of reproductive age and giris should aim to consume within the range of one to two portions of oily fish a week, based! on maintaining consumption of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs below the TDI of 2 pg WHO-TEQikg bodyweight per day. women past reproductive age, boys and men should aim to consume within the range of one to four portions of oily fish a week, based on maintaining consumption of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs below the guideline value of 8 pg WHO-TEQ/kg bodyweight per day It was noted that consumers would need to be provided with information on the levels of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs present in different species of commonly consumed fish. This would enable consumers to make informed choices on the number and type of fish consumed per week The committees emphasised that exceeding the designated ranges over the short- term was not deleterious, but long-term exceedances could have deleterious effects in sensitive individuals. In the case of pregnant and lactating women, for example, a woman who had not consistently exceeded the guideline range previously, could increase her oily fish consumption throughout pregnancy and lactation above the guideline range (e.g. to 2-3 portions of cily fish a week) without detrimental effects. RESTRICTED 18 June 2004