He pangasius It is one of the most controversial that we can find in the supermarket. It is a freshwater fish, whose scientific name is pangasius hypophthalmus. It is gray in color and has white meat and can measure up to 1.5 meters and weigh more than 40 kilos.
Although it is not currently very popular (it is only sold in a few hypermarkets in Spain), this is one of the cheapest fish on the market (€7.43/kilo) and which, nutritionally, some experts consider to be “low quality”.
The only point in favor is its mild flavor, ideal to incorporate into the diets of younger childrenand that hardly has thorns.
According to the (BEDCA), 100 grams of this fish provide us with about 13 grams of protein and only 1.2 grams of fat (of which 0.17 grams are polyunsaturated fatty acids).
However, if we compare the pangasius with other of the most consumed fish in Europe, such as hake or sole, it is true that the pangasius has 18% less protein and between 60 and 78% fewer polyunsaturated fatty acids.
In addition to being one of the least protein white fish, it also does not stand out for its omega 3 content: 8.8 grams per 100 grams compared to 18.7 grams for pangasius.
The origin of the controversy surrounding the pangasius is the area where it is raised, in Asian rivers, especially the Mekong, which flows south and crosses six countries such as China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam (this last country is one of the largest exporters), which suffers from high levels of contamination.
What are the mercury levels in the pangasius?
Mercury is a poison that is associated with problems for the nervous and immune systems, the digestive system, the skin, the lungs, the kidneys, and the eyes. According to World Health Organization (WHO), the main route of human exposure is through the consumption of fish and shellfish contaminated with methylmercury.
From the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), it is recommended not to exceed a weekly intake of 1.3 micrograms per kilo of body weight.
However, a study published by the journal and led by Dr. María Rodríguez, from the Department of Toxicology of the University of La Laguna, points out that “taking into account the maximum mercury limit set by European legislation at 0.5 mg/ kg, some of the samples analyzed approach or exceed this limit”.
Specifically, in a sample of 80 pangasius fillet samples from Vietnam in two formats: natural and marinated. The results obtained indicate that mercury concentrations range between 0.10 and 0.69 mg/kg.
And the concentration is higher in marinated products (0.18 mg/kg) with respect to the natural presentation (0.16 mg/kg). “Assuming a weekly consumption of 350 g of pangasius, the rate of contribution to the Tolerable Weekly Intake (ITT) of mercury (4 μg/kg bw/week) is 32% and 27.5% for women and men, respectively” , highlight the authors.
For this reason, and given the high consumption of panga by the child population, “greater control over mercury is necessary, because, although in general mercury concentrations have been below the marked limit by European legislation, some come close and others even exceed this limit”.
So, is it safe to eat pangasius regularly?
As the (AESAN) specifies, all “imported fish that are marketed in Spain are properly controlled by the health authorities.”
Thus, “the sanitary quality of said fish is not only ensured by official control at the border, but also by that of the Autonomous Communities, who, through their Health Departments, can also carry out controls when the fish is already in the marketing channels in Spain”.
However, from the (AEP), it recommends “the intake of white fish (hake, sole…) throughout the entire pediatric age, three to four times a week, and limit the consumption of oily fish once a the week, with portions of less than 50 grams, in children older than 3 years”.
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“If, in addition, the collection of these species (those previously mentioned) is more respectful with the environment, the labor framework that sustains them more in line with our system of values and their better nutritional quality, are reasons to encourage the consumption of species other than pangasius or tilapia“.