Fish and shellfish

A healthy diet should include at least two

portions of fish a week, including one of oily
fish.
That's because fish and shellfish are good
sources of many vitamins and minerals. Oily
fish such as salmon and fresh tuna is also
particularly high in long-chain omega-3 fatty
acids, which may help to keep your heart
healthy.
Most of us should have more fish in our diet,
including more oily fish. However, there are
maximum recommended amounts for oily fish,
crab and some types of white fish. There is
additional advice for women who are pregnant
or breastfeeding, and children and babies.
Fish that is steamed, baked or grilled is a
healthier choice than fried fish. Frying can
increase the fat content of fish and shellfish,
especially if theyre cooked in batter.
To ensure there are enough fish to eat now and
in the future, we should try to eat a wide variety
of fish and to buy fish from sustainable sources.
Types of fish
Different types of fish and shellfish provide
different nutrients.
Oily fish
Salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout and herring
are all examples of oily fish. Oily fish are:
high in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, which
may help to prevent heart disease
a good source of vitamin D
Some oily fish contain bones that you can eat.
These include whitebait, canned sardines,
pilchards and tinned salmon (but not fresh
salmon). These fish can help keep our bones
strong because they are good sources of
calcium and phosphorus.
Which fish are oily fish?
These fish are all oily fish, meaning they are
good sources of long-chain omega-3:

anchovies
carp
herring (bloater, kipper and hilsa are
types of herring)
jack (also known as scad, horse
mackerel and trevally)
mackerel
pilchards
salmon
sardines
sprats
trout
tuna (fresh)
whitebait
Canned tuna does not count as oily fish. Fresh
tuna is an oily fish, but when it is canned the
amount of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids is
reduced to levels similar to those in other white
fish.
White fish
Cod, haddock, plaice, pollock, coley, dab,
flounder, red mullet, gurnard and tilapia are all
examples of white fish.
White fish are:
low in fat, making them one of the healthier,
low-fat alternatives to red or processed meat,
which tends to be higher in fat, especially
saturated fat a source of omega-3 fatty acids,
but at much lower levels than oily fish
Shellfish
Shellfish includes prawns, mussels, scallops,
squid and langoustine.
Shellfish are: low in fat, a source of selenium,
zinc, iodine and copper
Some types of shellfish, such as mussels,
oysters, squid and crab, are also good sources
of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, but they do
not contain as much as oily fish.
Oily fish and omega-3 fatty acids
Oily fish contains a special kind of fat, called
long-chain omega-3 fatty acids.
Long-chain omega-3 may help to prevent heart
disease. It is also important for women who are
pregnant or breastfeeding, because it can help
a baby's nervous system to develop.
Oily fish are the richest source of long-chain
omega-3. Some white fish and shellfish also
contain long-chain omega-3, but not as much as
oily fish.
The main shellfish sources of long-chain omega3 are:

 mussels
oysters
squid
crab
How much fish should we eat?
A healthy diet should include at least two
portions of fish a week, including one of oily
fish. Most of us aren't eating this much. A
portion is around 140g (4.9oz).
However, for certain types of fish, there are
recommendations about the maximum amount
you should eat.
How much oily fish should I eat?
We should eat at least one portion (around
140g when cooked) of oily fish a week.
Oily fish can contain low levels of pollutants
that can build up in the body. For this reason,
there are maximum recommendations for the
number of portions we should be eating each
week. These recommendations are different for
different groups of people:
The general population is advised to have no
more than four portions of oily fish a week.
Women who are planning a pregnancy or who
are currently pregnant or breastfeeding should
eat no more than two portions of oily fish a
week. This is because pollutants found in oily
fish may affect the future development of a
baby in the womb.
Children, pregnant women and women who are
trying to get pregnant should not eat swordfish,
as it contains more mercury than other fish.
Other adults are advised to eat no more than
one portion of swordfish per week.
How much white fish should I eat?
You can safely eat as many portions of white
fish per week as you like, except for the
following, which may contain similar levels of
certain pollutants as oily fish:
sea bream
sea bass
turbot
halibut
rock salmon (also known as dogfish,
flake, huss, rigg or rock eel)
Anyone who regularly eats a lot of fish should
avoid eating these five fish, and brown meat
from crabs, too often.
Even though shark and marlin are white fish,
there is separate advice about how much of
them you should eat:

Children, pregnant women and women who are

trying to get pregnant should not eat shark or
marlin. This is because they contain more
mercury than other fish.
Other adults should have no more than one
portion of shark or marlin per week.
Many shark and marlin species are endangered,
so we should avoid eating these fish to help
stop these species becoming extinct. See the
sustainable fish and shellfish section below for
more information.
How much shellfish should I eat?
Although it is recommended that regular fisheaters should avoid eating brown crab meat too
often, there is no need to limit the amount of
white crab meat that you eat. There are no
maximum recommended amounts for other
types of shellfish.
Eating fish while trying to get pregnant, and
during pregnancy and breastfeeding
Eating fish is good for your health and the
development of your baby. However, pregnant
women should avoid some types of fish and
limit the amount they eat of some others. This
is because of the levels of mercury and
pollutants that some fish can contain.
When pregnant, you can reduce your risk of
food poisoning by avoiding raw shellfish and
making sure that any shellfish you eat is cooked
thoroughly.
Below is advice from the Scientific Advisory
Committee on Nutrition and the Committee on
Toxicity about eating fish when trying to get
pregnant, or when pregnant or breastfeeding:
Shark, swordfish and marlin: do not eat these if
you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant. All
other adults, including breastfeeding women,
should eat no more than one portion per week.
This is because these fish can contain more
mercury than other types of fish, and can
damage a developing babys nervous system.
Oily fish: if you are trying for a baby, or are
pregnant or breastfeeding, you should have no
more than two portions of oily fish a week. A
portion is around 140g.
Canned tuna: if you are trying for a baby or are
pregnant, you should have no more than four
cans of tuna a week. This is because tuna
contains higher levels of mercury than other
fish. If you are breastfeeding, there is no limit
on how much canned tuna you can eat.

These figures are based on a medium-sized can

of tuna with a drained weight of around 140g
per can.
Remember, canned tuna doesn't count as oily
fish. So if youve had a portion of canned tuna
during the week, you can still have up to two
portions of oily fish.
Due to the higher levels of mercury in tuna, if
youre eating canned tuna, dont pick fresh tuna
as your oily fish.
Unless your GP advises otherwise, avoid taking
fish liver oil supplements when youre pregnant
or trying for a baby. These are high in vitamin A
(retinol), which can be harmful to your unborn
baby. Pregnant women are advised to avoid
taking supplements that contain vitamin A.
Learn more about having a healthy diet in
pregnancy and foods to avoid in pregnancy.
Should children and babies over six months eat
fish?
Children under the age of 16 should avoid
eating any shark, swordfish or marlin. This is
because the levels of mercury in these fish can
affect a child's nervous system.
Avoid giving raw shellfish to babies and children
to reduce their risk of getting food poisoning.
Learn more about healthy eating for the underfives in Your baby's first solid foods.
You can give boys up to four portions of oily fish
a week, but it is best to give girls no more than
two portions a week. This is because the low
levels of pollutants that oily fish contain can
build up in the body and may harm an unborn
baby during a future pregnancy.
Taking fish liver oil supplements
If you take fish liver oil supplements, remember
that these are high in vitamin A. This is because
fish store vitamin A in their livers. Having too
much vitamin A over many years could be
harmful.
The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition
advises that if you take supplements containing
vitamin A, you should not have more than
1.5mg a day from your food and supplements
combined. Pregnant women are advised to
avoid taking supplements containing vitamin A,
including fish liver oil supplements, as too much
vitamin A can be harmful to an unborn baby.
Learn more about Vitamin A.
Eating sustainable fish and shellfish
When fish or shellfish are caught or produced in
a way that allows stocks to replenish and that
does not cause unnecessary damage to marine
animals and plants, those fish or shellfish are
called "sustainable".
To ensure there are enough fish and shellfish to
eat, choose from as wide a range of these foods

as possible. If we eat only a few kinds of fish,

then numbers of these fish can fall very low due
to overfishing of these stocks.
Overfishing endangers the future supply of the
fish and can also cause damage to the
environment from which the fish is caught.
Learn more about sustainable fish and shellfish,
and what you can do to help from GOV.UK:
protecting and sustainably using the marine
environment.
Fish and shellfish safety
Eating fish or shellfish that is not fresh or that
has not been stored and prepared hygienically
can cause food poisoning. In this section, you
can find tips on how to store and prepare fish
and shellfish.
Shellfish such as mussels, clams and oysters
that are raw or not thoroughly cooked can
contain harmful viruses and bacteria that can
cause food poisoning. Thorough cooking usually
kills any bacteria or viruses.
Most of the shellfish we eat is cooked first, but
oysters are often served raw.
Raw shellfish, particularly oysters, can contain
low levels of certain viruses, such as norovirus.
If you are serving oysters raw, be especially
careful when buying and storing them: see
below for more advice.
Shellfish can also be contaminated with toxins,
such as:
paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins
lipophilic toxins, including diarrhetic
shellfish poisoning (DSP) toxins
amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP) toxins
Depending on the type of toxin present,
the symptoms from eating contaminated
shellfish may include:
nausea
vomiting
diarrhoea
headaches
numbness
breathing difficulties
memory loss
disorientation
abdominal pain
Unlike many other hazards, these toxins,
known as biotoxins, will not be broken
down or removed during cooking.
Under EU regulations, commercial shellfish is
regulated and tested.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) advises that
older people, pregnant women, very young
children and people who are unwell should

avoid eating raw or lightly cooked shellfish to

reduce their risk of getting food poisoning.
Buying fish and shellfish
When choosing fish and shellfish, remember:
Buy fish and shellfish from reputable sources.
Choose fresh fish or shellfish that is refrigerated
or kept on ice.
Don't buy cooked or ready-to-eat fish or
shellfish that is touching raw fish or shellfish.
When shopping, pick up fish and shellfish last
and take it straight home. Fish and shellfish go
off very quickly once out of the fridge.
When buying or cooking live shellfish such as
mussels, make sure that the outer shell closes
when you tap it. Live shellfish will "clam up"
when their shells are tapped.
Where possible, buy fish and shellfish from
sustainable sources.
Catching fish and shellfish
Is fishing your passion? Like the thought of
eating your own fresh catch? First read this food
safety advice from the FSA for anglers and
other fishing enthusiasts who may want to eat
their own catch of Atlantic salmon and sea
trout.
If you want to take shellfish from any public
waters, it's important that you check local
notices or with your local authority that the
area isnt closed to fishing. If it is closed, it may
be for public health reasons, such as high toxin
or bacterial or chemical contamination, in which
case it would be dangerous to eat shellfish from
that area.
Storing fish and shellfish
Follow these hygiene tips when storing fish:
Put fish and shellfish in the fridge or freezer as
soon as you get home.
Make sure that all fish and shellfish are in
covered containers, but dont put mussels,
oysters, clams or any other live shellfish into

airtight containers, because they need to

breathe.
Don't store fish or shellfish in water.
Discard mussels, oysters, clams or any other
live shellfish if their shells crack or break, or if
the shells are open and dont close when you
tap them. Live shellfish will "clam up" if their
shells are tapped.
Preparing fish and shellfish
Follow these hygiene tips when preparing fish:
Wash your hands thoroughly before and after
handling fish or shellfish.
Don't allow raw fish or shellfish or fluid from live
shellfish to come into contact with cooked or
ready-to-eat food.
Use separate plates and utensils for preparing
raw fish and shellfish and other food.
Thaw fish or shellfish in the fridge overnight. If
you need to thaw it more quickly, you could use
a microwave. Use the "defrost" setting and stop
when the fish is icy, but flexible.
If youre marinating seafood, put it in the fridge
and throw the marinade away after removing
the raw fish or shellfish. If you want to use the
marinade as a dip or sauce, set some aside
before it touches the raw fish.
Do not eat clams or mussels that do not open
when cooked. It is likely that the clam or mussel
has died, and that it is not safe to eat.
Fish and shellfish allergy
Allergies to fish or shellfish are quite common
and can cause severe reactions.
People who are allergic to one type of fish often
react to other types. Similarly, people who are
allergic to one type of shellfish, such as prawns,
crabs, mussels or scallops, often react to other
types.
Cooking fish or shellfish doesn't make someone
with a fish or shellfish allergy less likely to have
a bad reaction.