The Importance Of The FDA And Food Safety

Heavy metals such as the mercury in the environment have the propensity to be hazardous to human health; mercury that is released to the environment can be transformed into its most dangerous form known as methylmercury. This form of mercury has been found by scientist to accumulate in fishes in varying degree depending on the species. Due to the nutritional benefit of the fish to humans, it is imperative that health advisory agencies such as the FDA and EPA educate the public on how to utilize fish for its nutritional value without compromising their health status. The presence of heavy metals such as mercury in our food chain is of concern to the public and raises questions such as:
Is the FDA advisory and Food Safety 's recommendations …show more content…
Currently, it seems such information, are by default disseminated through health care providers to certain populations in the society.
Outside factors (political groups, industry organizations, environmental groups, etc.) often attempt to influence the position the FDA and Food Safety 's takes on a food safety issue such as this? Should the FDA and Food Safety evaluate and consider these influences in their decision making? Since FDA and Food Safety is a powerful organization within the society, it will be natural that political groups, industry organizations, and environmental groups to name a few, would attempt to impose or influence the position of this government agency regarding issues such as the accumulation of mercury in fish and its detrimental effect on human health, especially …show more content…
Hence, I would start by revamping the procedure for disseminating information to the public. Having adequate information about mercury deposits in fish readily available to the public will entail good tactics. Tactics such as having medical care facilities display Pamphlets in plain view for patients to see, in addition to distributing pamphlets to all first time patients. The pamphlets should have an eye catching, but refined title to avoid pandemonium; it must also contain pertinent information about the health hazard of mercury deposits in various fish and how to avoid excessive consumption of fish which could potentially lead to mercury poisoning. Furthermore, schools can be influential in bringing awareness to the issue of mercury in fish that we consume. This can be achieved by incorporating information about heavy metals in our ecosystem and their hazards to humans into a health curriculum at school for older