Letter: Sea food is good

AS A RESULT of the article "Hushed up research finds poison in fish fingers" (19 September) many people have been asking us whether it is all right to eat fish. It is important to realise that dioxins are ubiquitous in the environment and tiny amounts are found in most foods. These levels are low, well within internationally agreed limits and falling.

The results of the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food Food Surveillance Report which looked specifically at fish found that exposure to dioxins from eating white fish such as cod and haddock is extremely small. Oil rich fish such as salmon, herring and mackerel contain oils which many studies have shown to help the risk of heart disease, improve brain development and reduce the symptoms of arthritis. The Maff report repeats existing expert medical advice that we should increase our consumption of this type of this type of fish to once per week.

MARIA LIMONCI

Sea Fish Industry Authority

Edinburgh