Oceana is asking Superfresh and other grocery stores to post the Food and Drug Administration's mercury advice at their seafood counters. Because mercury can harm a young child or unborn baby's developing nervous system, the FDA has issued advice for women of child-bearing age and children to avoid certain fish that are contaminated with high levels of mercury, such as swordfish, and instead choose low-mercury fish, such as salmon. This information, unfortunately, has not reached many families. In fact, an EPA scientist has estimated that one in six women of childbearing age has enough mercury in her body to pose neurological risks to her developing baby.
Families should be equipped with this information at the place where they buy fish so that they can make informed seafood purchases. Studies have shown that as many as 30 percent of women planning to have a child or already pregnant do not know that mercury in fish could harm their children's development. Nearly 30% of major grocery companies are posting signs about mercury in fish and are recognized on Oceana's Green List but Superfresh's parent company A&P has refused to take this step to protect its customers.
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