Nutrients and undesirable substances

Seafood contains a number of nutrients that have a beneficial effect on health but may also contain substances that are undesirable in food. The combination of these matters in seafood can have an effect on the consumer's health.

Seafood may contain undesirable substances such as methyl mercury, dioxins, PCBs and other harmful elements. The Scientific Committee for Food Safety has concluded that: "Based on a comprehensive assessment of scientific evidence of positive health benefits compared with the presence of potentially harmful substances, combined with knowledge about consumption of fish and other seafood in the Norwegian diet, the consumption of fish, whether white or oily, will in sum provide positive health effects."

Undesirable substances can be harmful to our health if we consume large quantities. Scientists know much about how toxic/harmful individual substances are, but still lack knowledge of how these substances and nutrients mutually influence each other and what overall effect they have on our health when consumed as part of our food. NIFES therefore examines how interactions between nutrients and unwanted substances in seafood affect our health.