The Pacific Seafood Processors Association (PSPA), a leading nonprofit seafood industry trade association, is thrilled to see new advice from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) encouraging pregnant women and small children to eat more seafood.
The FDA's new advice, based on years of rigorous science, found that limiting or avoiding fish during pregnancy and early childhood "can mean missing out on important nutrients that can have a positive impact on growth and development." The advice recommends pregnant women eat at least eight ounces of a variety of seafood, such as salmon, per week.
"This is a huge step in the right direction," said Glenn Reed, Pacific Seafood Processors Association President. "The important next step is ensuring that American women receive this message clearly and correctly."
Some language in the current draft advice seems complicated and confusing and PSPA fears nuances in the advice could scare pregnant women away from seafood, instead of encouraging them to eat more.
"PSPA looks forward to working with the FDA during the comment period to ensure the final document reflects FDA's ultimate goal: increasing the amount of seafood pregnant women eat," Reed said. "We're excited for nutrition policy to finally match up with years of science which concluded the only risk in eating seafood is not eating enough."
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