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Whole Foods Agrees to Post FDA's Mercury Warning

June 20, 2006

Mercury in Fish • High Mercury Levels Found In Sushi • Maternal Seafood Consumption Benefits Children's Development • Study: Benefits of Fish Outweigh the Risks • Tests Find Higher Mercury Content In Imported Tuna • Americans Confused about Mercury in Seafood, Survey Finds • Whole Foods Agrees to Post FDA's Mercury Warning • Americans Confused about Health Effects of Eating Fish • Mercury Levels Rising In Sport Fish • FDA Finds High Mercury Levels in Some Canned Light Tuna • Study: Moderate Fish Consumption Poses Mercury Risks • CSPI: Government Should Warn About Mercury in Fish • Whole Foods Pressed To Add Mercury Warnings • Warnings about Mercury in Fish May Do More Harm Than Good • Despite Contaminants, Fish Healthy for Most Men • Fish is Brain Food • FDA Urged to Crack Down on Tuna Mercury Levels • CA Restaurants Will Issue Fish Warnings • California Sues Tuna Canneries

Whole Foods has announced that it is joining Safeway and Wild Oats as the first national supermarket chains to commit to posting signs giving consumers a government warning about mercury in certain kinds seafood.

The FDA issued an advisory in 2004 warning women of child-bearing age and children to avoid swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish and shark due to their high mercury content.

The FDA also advised them to limit albacore tuna and tuna steaks to no more than six ounces per week.

The FDA has determined that mercury contamination in these fish is high enough to threaten fetal development and children's health. It is estimated that hundreds of thousands of women already have enough mercury in their systems to cause harm to a developing fetus.

"Many people are still unaware of the danger lurking behind the seafood counter," explained Jackie Savitz, director of Oceana's Campaign to Stop Seafood Contamination, and coordinator of the directory. "That could change if the major supermarket chains would simply post the FDA's warning," said Savitz.

Over the past year, Oceana and its members contacted major U.S. supermarket chains asking them to voluntarily post the signs.

Savitz praised the three supermarket chains that made Oceana's "Green List" for committing to post signs in stores containing the FDA's advisory on which seafood contains mercury: Whole Foods, Wild Oats, and Safeway, including Vons, Dominick's and Tom Thumb.

Savitz says there is still much more work to be done. The "Red List" of supermarkets not posting the FDA advisory includes 60 stores. They are owned by: A&P, Ahold, Albertsons, Delhaize, Costco, Giant Eagle, IGA, Ingles, Kroger, Price Chopper, Publix, Shop Rite, Trader Joe's, U.S. Supermarkets General Holding Corporation, Wal-Mart, Wegman's and Winn-Dixie.

At a press conference in Manhattan, actor and long-time conservationist Ted Danson spoke out on the issue.

"I believe that consumers have a right to know what is in the food they buy and feed their families and that is why I am asking supermarkets to voluntarily post the FDA's warning on mercury contamination in their seafood sections. It is a simple and inexpensive way to educate the public about a serious health issue," said Danson.

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