Fish oil's heart-healthy benefits make it a common supplement of choice for Americans. Taking a daily pill allows you to obtain a serving of omega-3 fatty acids without having to prepare fish every day. However, fish can have levels of polychlorinated biphenyls -- PCBs -- a toxic contaminant. In 2010, the Mateel Environmental Justice Foundation launched a lawsuit against eight manufacturers of 10 kinds of fish oil supplements, claiming they contained PCBs.
PCB Significance
For more than 50 years, PCBs were used for manufacturing. This is because PCBs are chemically stable, have a high boiling point, are non-flammable and are useful in electrical insulation. They were used to manufacture transformers, oil-based paint, caulking, plastics and floor finishes. The United States Environmental Protection Agency banned PCBs from manufacturing use in 1979. However, PCB-containing product remain in landfills. The chemicals can seep into the ground and into the algae fish eat. This can contribute to PCB levels in fish. They are considered to be especially dangerous because PCBs can cause cancer and adversely affect several systems in the body.
Lawsuit
The Mateel Foundation lawsuit brought attention to the fish oil industry, whicho had billed their supplements as safe and nontoxic. After testing the fish oil products, the Mateel Foundation found they contained between 12 and 850 nanograms of PCBs. The Foundation claims the manufacturers violated California law in not including a warning concerning PCBs when selling their products. While this case has yet to be decided, the Center for Science in the Public Interest conducted a similar study in 2008 and found no indication of PCBs in fish oil supplements, according to a representative for the organization speaking to CBS News.
Fish Oil Manufacturing
Fish oil manufacturers have processes in place to reduce the overall PCB levels in fish oil supplements. First, the manufacturers use smaller fish to produce fish oil -- these fish have a shorter lifespan, meaning they are less likely to accumulate toxins like PCBs. Also, the oil is purified to remove PCBs and deodorized before it is put into capsules. These steps help to reduce the likelihood that PCBs will be present in your fish oil capsules.
Conclusions
Because fish oil supplements are made from fish, they run the risk of containing PCBs. However, keep in mind that eating fish can contain PCBs as well. Fish oil supplements typically go through more processing and purification processes than fish can or do. "In short, most fish oil supplements appear to be adequately purified and safe," according to the United States Environmental Defense Fund's website. "Consumers who take fish oil supplements should consider purchasing them from companies that verified they have met the strictest U.S. standards for contaminants."
References
- ABC News; Lawsuit Raises FIsh Oil Supplement Concerns; Elisaveth Leamy; March 2010
- CBS News; Lawsuit: Disclose PCB Levels in Fish Oil; Ken Millstone; March 2010
- "Whole Living"; Is Fish Oil Safe?; April 2008
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Polychlorinated Biphenyl; December 2010
- United States Environmental Defense Fund; How Safe Are Fish Oil Supplements?; February 2011
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