Vol. 509 No. 5
43 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the information, if any, available regarding the level of dioxin in oily fish, having regard to the findings of a survey in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20699/99]
The survey in the United Kingdom referred to by the Deputy was undertaken by the Joint Food Safety and Standards Group of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Department of Health and examined concentrations of dioxin and PCBs in marine fish. The principal finding was that the estimated exposures to these chemicals from the diet of UK consumers were within current UK safety guidelines. Based on these results the independent expert Committee on Toxicity in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment has recommended that adults should follow the existing advice to eat on average one portion of oily fish each week because of the demonstrated health benefits.
