Health conscious individuals are increasingly becoming more focused on what kinds of foods they put into their bodies. In general, fish-filled diets offer major benefits to our overall well-being by providing us with essential vitamins and nutrients. However, while that fish at your local market may seem like a top-tier food, it may not always be the best choice – at least according to a new study conducted by University of California, Davis, and Hasanuddin University in Indonesia.
WHAT’S WRONG WITH THE FISH?
Researchers claim that one out of every four fish bought in random fish markets were found to contain debris in their guts – usually man-made plastic or fibrous matter. The study, the results of which are published in the journal Scientific Reports, sampled 76 fish from markets in Makassar, Indonesia and 64 from Half Moon Bay and Princeton in California.
Interestingly enough, there does not seem to be a huge difference in the amount of debris found in the fish from the different locations. What’s different, rather, is the type of debris found, as reported by the lead author of the study, Chelsea Rochman.
Roughly 80 percent of the debris uncovered in California fish consisted of fibers, whereas all the fragments from fish in Indonesia were plastic. Acccording to Rochman, the reason for the variation can be attributed to “differences in local waste management.”
LOCAL WASTE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
In Indonesia, residents rely heavily on bottled water due to the lack of purified drinking water in the country. Large volumes of the plastic from these bottles are simply tossed into the surrounding ocean or water. California, by contrast, has an extensive system for recycling plastics. Many residents, however, use washing machines to clean their clothing. The water from these machines carry clothing fibers, which transfer over to water treatment plants that empty out into the ocean. Bad filtering causes some of these fibers to end up in fish.
Fortunately, the scientists have clarified that the debris is usually found in the gut of the fish. Unless the fish is eaten whole, like it is in Indonesia, humans are unlikely to ingest the debris. In the meantime, researchers are looking into whether or not certain chemical compounds can transfer over to the fish meat.
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Fish At Local Markets Contain Man-Made Debris
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