PFAS are potentially harmful to humans, wildlife and the environment. (representative)

While eating lobster, shrimp, tuna, and other types of seafood may help boost your Omega-3 levels, eating them more frequently can increase your exposure to chemicals called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). risks from industrial chemicals), also known as “forever chemicals,” according to one study.

Experts at Dartmouth College in the UK point out that guidelines for safe seafood consumption exist for mercury and other contaminants, but not for PFAS. The study highlights the need for stricter public health guidance on how much seafood people can safely eat.

“Our recommendation is not to eat seafood—seafood is a great source of lean protein and omega fatty acids. But it is also a potential source of PFAS exposure for humans,” said corresponding author Megan Romano, associate professor of epidemiology. Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, UK.

“Understanding the risk-benefit trade-offs of seafood consumption is important for people to make dietary decisions, especially for vulnerable groups such as pregnant women and children,” Romano said.

For the study, the team measured the levels of 26 PFAS in samples of the most consumed marine species: cod, haddock, lobster, salmon, scallops, shrimp and tuna.

The findings, published in the journal Exposure and Health, show that shrimp and lobster have the highest concentrations of some PFAS compounds, with average levels as high as 1.74 nanograms and 3.30 nanograms per gram of meat, respectively.

PFAS break down very slowly over time and can persist in the environment for thousands of years, potentially harming humans, wildlife and the environment.

Studies show that exposure to them increases the risk of cancer, fetal malformations, high cholesterol, and thyroid, liver and reproductive diseases

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