An initiative led by researchers from numerous U.S. universities on Monday launched a website aimed at clearing up the misinformation surrounding seafood by helping consumers weight the benefits of seafood consumption against the risks.
Developed largely through a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the site, seafoodhealthfacts.org, serves as a credible resource for consumers and healthcare professionals, according to Dr. Michael Morrissey, director of Oregon State University’s Food Innovation Center, and the project leader.
The initiative, dubbed “Seafood Health Facts: Making Smart Choices,” involves researchers from Oregon State University, Cornell University, and the Universities of Delaware, Rhode Island, Florida and California, along with the non-profit Community Seafood Initiative.
“We finally have a straightforward and comprehensive guide for health care professionals and consumers alike to educate themselves on the importance and the risks of consuming seafood,” said Morrissey. “Our program has synthesized all the available information from government agencies and leading universities, and we’ve made it accessible, not just to health care providers but also to the general public. Consumers should feel confident about their seafood choices—and Seafood Health Facts answers their questions in a credible and balanced way.”
Heather Mann, director of the Community Seafood Initiative, added: “Today’s consumers are bombarded with conflicting information about the benefits and risks of consuming seafood. From health magazines to mainstream media, the message about seafood is confusing at best and even conflicting at worst. Can I eat seafood while I’m pregnant? What’s the mercury risk? Should I get my omega-3s from supplements versus eating seafood? To complicate matters more, advice from physicians and even from our own various government agencies is often at odds. Throw in advocacy group agendas and a potential seafood consumer is more likely to choose chicken.”
The information on the site, much of which is available as downloadable brochures, is organized by topic and includes resources for seafood nutrition, seafood safety and the risks associated with certain types of seafood. It is also organized to provide resources aimed at specific population groups.
