Food And Drug Administration Essay, Research Paper

Synopsis #1

BIO 131

A. Summary: The Food and Drug Administration is announcing to pregnant women that eating certain kinds of fish may be harmful to their unborn child. These fish include shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tile fish. These fish contain high levels of a form of mercury called methyl mercury. Methyl mercury can damage an unborn baby’s nervous system. The FDA suggests that any pregnant woman, or women of childbearing age, nursing mothers, and young children stay away from these fish, and to also steer free of fish that are non-commercial such as the fish caught by friends or family members. The FDA does not ignore the fact that seafood can be very essential to a balanced diet in pregnant and women of the childbearing age, therefore they suggest other fish such as shellfish, smaller fish, farm raised fish, or canned fish (about 12 oz. per week). Apparently methyl mercury can be very dangerous to the unborn child, especially, but also children. The FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition will also develop a strategy for methyl mercury in commercial seafood, as well as start an education class to pregnant women and all other women to learn the hazards and effects of methyl to themselves and their unborn child.

B. Critique: The author of this article could have described the effects of methyl mercury in fish a bit better than what he did. Many people, when reading, would like to hear of side effects, or diagnosing factors, incase they indeed ingested some of the specified fish. It states that the unborn baby’s nervous system may be harmed, but it does not explain what happens to the child’s nervous system. This author does make it apparent what audience he is trying to reach, and certainly does get his point across, but maybe he should have emphasized a little more on what the mercury effects in a woman’s and a child’s body.

C. Physiologic Principles: Mercury harming the developing nervous system of an unborn baby.

D. System Related To: Nervous System