In the News
- Omega-6 (n-6) and omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids in tilapia and human health: a review
by Kaolin Young, Environmental Research Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA, for International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition.
A recent publication questions the nutritional value of tilapia in the human diet following the movement to eat fish for their omega fatty acid (FA) content. It suggests that tilapia have an elevated amount of omega-6 FAs (n-6) and a deficient amount of omega-3 FAs (n-3), a possibly unhealthy proportion for humans. A high n-6:n-3 ratio is problematic because too much arachidonic acid, an n-6 FA, promotes inflammation, which aggravates heart disease and other illnesses. This paper analyzes the numbers from different tilapia composition studies in an effort to understand the range of n-6 and n-3 totals and ratios present in both farmed and wild tilapia. Generally, wild tilapia have more n-3 FAs than farmed tilapia, but diet adjustments can alter the body composition of the domesticated variety. Consumers should consider fish as part of a balanced diet and evaluate their FA needs on an individual basis.
- Final comment period for WWF tilapia standards
IntraFish Media, May 27, 1009
- Sysco WWF Deal a Big Boost for ‘Green’ Seafood
By John Fiorillo for http://www.IntraFish.no/global, April 17, 2009
“Sysco's plan to develop new sustainable-seafood sourcing strategies for the major species it sells could lead to improvements in fisheries and aquaculture around the world, Meredith Lopuch, WWF's deputy director of sustainable seafood, told IntraFish.”
- Regal Springs Newsletter, April 2009
- Israel Snir: Investing in People, Not Just Tilapia
By Jill Schwartz for WorldWildLife.com, December 2008
- Toxic melamine is suspected in seafood from China
By Don Lee and Tiffany Hsu for Los Angeles Times, December 23, 2008
“Industry experts and businesspeople in China say that the industrial chemical has been routinely added to fish and animal feed to artificially boost protein readings.”
- Harvard study finds mom who eat more fish have healthier babies
by IntraFish Media AS , November 9, 2008
- Flyer Encourages Pregnant Women to Eat Fish
A new consumer nutrition education flyer created by a task force of food and health organizations encourages the importance of seafood consumption for pregnant and breastfeeding women.
SeafoodSource.com, August 6, 2008
- LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Honduras offers opportunities for foreign investors
By John Groh August 18, 2008 – John Groh visits Regal’s Tilapia Farm
“Having never traveled to Honduras, I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by the sophistication of some of the operations we visited. Of particular note was the tilapia farm, Aquafinca Saint Peter Fish S.A., which was impressive for many reasons, not the least of which were its ecofriendly method of operation and the way it treats its employees.” Robert - See pdf file: The Produce News
- The unintended consequences of the activist-driven mercury scare hurt the public, and kids in particular
Restaurant News, Richard Berman Opinion
- Tilapia in Perspective
by William S. Harris, Ph.D. September/October 2008 global aquaculture advocate
- In China, Farming Fish in Toxic Waters
David Barboza for The New York Times, December 15, 2007
- Draft Standards for Responsible Tilapia Aquaculture Available for Review – First Set of Standards from Aquaculture Dialogues
Press Release: Sep 29, 2008 by Jill Schwartz
The first set of measurable, performance-based tilapia aquaculture standards created through a transparent and multi-stakeholder process was released for public comment today. They are the first draft standards from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)-initiated Aquaculture Dialogues
- When pregnant mom eats fish, kids do better – Study: Seafood can boost children's IQ, despite possible mercury exposure
msnbc.com news services updated 7:53 a.m. CT, Tues., Feb. 20, 2007
- Tilapia: the fish for the future? Explore this delicious eco-friendly fish
By Nicci Micco, Senior Editor, EatingWell
- Tilapia should not be removed from diet
Endocrine Today, Clinical News on Diabete and Endocrine Disorders. Posted by Thomas Repas, DO, FACP, FACE, CDE September 19, 2008
Recently, an article was published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association suggesting that consumption of tilapia may be less beneficial compared with other types of fish because of lower levels of omega-3 and an increased omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. The media, lay public and some health professionals have misinterpreted this to mean that tilapia is unhealthy. Nothing is further from the truth.
- Catfish and tilapia: Healthy or harmful?
MayoClinic.com July 16, 2008 By Jennifer Nelson, M.S., R.D. and Katherine Zeratsky, R.D.
I'm going to continue to eat fish — at least twice weekly. I'm going to choose a variety of fatty fish — including tilapia and catfish along with others especially high in the good fats such as salmon, tuna and mackerel.
- The Nutrition Source, Ask the Expert: Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Dr. Frank Sacks, Professor of Cardiovascular Disease Prevention, Department of Nutrition-- Harvard School of Public Health
What are omega-3 fatty acids, and why should I make sure to include them in my diet? These questions and more….
- Report: China's Animal Feed Tainted With Melamine
Associated Press researcher Xi Yue in Beijing contributed to this report published on SeafoodSource.com on October 31, 2008.
The industrial chemical melamine is commonly added to animal feed in China to make it appear higher in protein, state media reported, in what appeared to be a tacit admission by the government that contamination is widespread in the country's food supply.