Fish | whatsinit

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Fish is a whole-food ingredient encompassing finfish species consumed for their high-quality protein, omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFAs), vitamins, and minerals. It is used across all forms of cooking and food manufacturing as a primary protein source and flavour component.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Fish is broadly safe and nutritionally beneficial for the general adult population; regular consumption of 1–2 servings per week is associated with reduced coronary heart disease mortality and supports neurodevelopment. The principal safety concerns are environmental contaminants — notably methylmercury, dioxins, and dioxin-like PCBs — which can accumulate in fatty and top-predatory fish species at levels that may exceed tolerable weekly intakes in high consumers. Fish is also a recognised major food allergen, requiring mandatory labelling under the FDA FALCPA (2004) and equivalent legislation in other jurisdictions.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Restricted	Top predatory fish (swordfish, tuna, shark) are subject to consumption restrictions for vulnerable population groups — especially women of childbearing age, pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and young children — due to elevated methylmercury concentrations. EU Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006 sets maximum levels for methylmercury in fish.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	FDA operates a mandatory HACCP-based safety program for all fish and fishery products under 21 CFR Part 123 and the FD&C Act. Fish is also classified as one of nine major food allergens under FALCPA 2004, requiring species-level declaration on labels. Aquacultured and wild-caught fish are held to the same safety standards.source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Pregnancy — Pregnant women should avoid high-mercury species (swordfish, tuna, shark) due to risk of foetal neurodevelopmental toxicity from methylmercury, per EFSA and FDA guidance; low-mercury species at 2–3 servings per week are still recommended for omega-3 intake.

Infants — Infants and young children are among the most susceptible populations to methylmercury-related neurodevelopmental effects; high-predatory fish species should be avoided and species selection should follow national guidance, per EFSA CONTAM recommendations.

Children — EFSA notes that estimated mean dietary exposures to methylmercury across age groups can exceed the TWI in children who frequently consume high-mercury species; species choice and serving frequency should be guided by national advisories.

Other — Individuals with a diagnosed fish allergy must avoid all fish; fish is a recognised major food allergen under FDA FALCPA (2004) and equivalent EU legislation, with reactions ranging from urticaria to potentially life-threatening anaphylaxis.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1FDA. Seafood Guidance Documents & Regulatory Information. fda.gov
2WHO. Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation on the Risks and Benefits of Fish Consumption: meeting report, Rome, 9–13 October 2023, 2024. who.int
3EFSA. Statement on the benefits of fish/seafood consumption compared to the risks of methylmercury in fish/seafood, 2015. efsa.europa.eu
4EFSA. Scientific Opinion on health benefits of seafood (fish and shellfish) consumption in relation to health risks associated with exposure to methylmercury, 2014. efsa.europa.eu
5FDA. Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA), 2004. fda.gov

Independently researched5 citations