Freshwater Wild Fish Now a Possibly Dangerous Ingredient with Its Toxic PFAS Content, Study Shows

Freshwater wild fish might be a seriously toxic ingredient in recipes, according to a recent PFAS study.

A recent study found that consuming even a small amount of freshwater fish, like trout or carp, could expose consumers to potentially toxic chemical substances.

According to research results, consuming even one serving of freshwater fish annually could be equivalent to consuming water that is highly contaminated with PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl substances. This can diminish the quality of health of the consumer.

PFAS in Water, Fish, Everywhere!

Very low concentrations of PFAS in drinking water have been associated with immune system suppression, reduced vaccine effectiveness, and an elevated risk of some cancers. They have been linked, among other things, to high cholesterol and reproductive issues.

Dr. David Andrews, who led the study, said that freshwater fish eaters, especially those who catch and eat fish frequently, run the risk of having dangerously high levels of PFAS in their bodies. These PFAS, which are present in non-stick pans and food packaging, are a collection of more than 9,000 different chemicals, some of which are already banned or subject to strict regulations.

The study's co-author, Dr. Tasha Stoiber, emphasized that PFAS are not destroyed by flushing or throwing products away. According to their research, the most popular disposal techniques might result in increased environmental pollution.

500 Fish Fillets, 40k Industrial Polluters

To conduct the study, researchers analyzed information from more than 500 fish filet samples that were gathered in the US over two years, namely, from 2013 to 2015. Additionally, they discovered that fish captured in urban areas and the Great Lakes had higher PFA levels.

High concentrations of so-called "forever chemicals" were found in fish taken from rivers and lakes by researchers. Averaging about three out of every four PFAS detections, PFOS, or sulfonic acid, was the chemical that was consistently found in the highest concentrations in freshwater fish.

According to the study published in Environmental Research, the average concentrations of PFAS in freshwater fish in the US were astonishingly 280 times higher than the levels of persistent chemicals found in some commercially caught and sold fish.

Also Read: High Levels of Forever Chemicals PFAS Exposure Causes Adverse Immune System Effects on Cape Fear Gators 

According to their estimates, there may be over 40,000 industrial sources of PFAS pollution in the US, including factories, wastewater treatment facilities, municipal landfills, and airports. The spread of PFAS from water to soil, crops, and wildlife, including fish, has occurred.

Nadia Barbo, the lead researcher of the study, said that the level of PFAS contamination in fish is astounding. A single recommendation for freshwater fish consumption that is health-protective should be made available nationwide, New York Post reports.

PFAS in Humans

According to Harvard TH Chan, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) list a wide range of negative health effects linked to PFAS exposure, including liver damage, cancer, decreased fertility, and an elevated risk of asthma and thyroid disease.

Scientists are only now beginning to comprehend the effects of the over 4,000 different types of PFAS.

Related Article: Study: 'Forever Chemicals' PFOS in Water-Repellant Causes Liver Cancer