StarKist supports “strong emphasis” on seafood in new govt report

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — StarKist Co., owner of StarKist Samoa cannery in American Samoa, is supportive of the Scientific Report of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans Committee whose report, which places “strong emphasis” on seafood in relation to public health.

The 835-page advisory report to the US Secretaries of Agriculture along with the Heath and Human Services was first printed in July and the two federal agencies seeking public comments, prompted StarKist to submit a comment letter last week from the company’s senior manager of Nutrition and Regulatory Affairs, Laura Ali, who is also a Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist.

Ali’s comment letter to the USDA Food and Nutrition Service’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, points out that StarKist provides trusted, healthy food products in the U.S. And as “America’s favorite tuna, StarKist represents a tradition of quality, consumer trust and a commitment to sustainability for more than 100 years.

“We were pleased to see the strong emphasis placed on seafood in relation to public health, and especially the life-cycle approach taken by this committee,” she said.

Additionally, StarKist applauds the recommendation to continue with the previously established seafood recommendations of the 2010 and 2015 Dietary Guidelines for women who are pregnant and breast-feeding “and are happy to see the positive messages regarding the health benefits of seafood consumption.”

“We are also very pleased to see such a strong focus on overall dietary patterns and infant and child nutrition,” she said, noting that StarKist is encouraged that the Scientific Report “recognizes the importance of seafood early in life for good nutrition and for growth and development.”

According to Ali, the company agrees that focusing on dietary patterns versus a focus on individual foods and nutrients is more important and will be easier for Americans to follow to meet nutrition and health goals.

She noted that the Scientific Report confirmed that dietary patterns that include seafood and lean meats and poultry have a strong association with reduced risk of disease.

StarKist agrees with the committee’s finding that recommends that healthier food patterns should start at an early age to minimize the risk of chronic disease later in life. It also agrees with the recommendations to encourage public health messages to encourage healthier eating patterns.

“We are also very encouraged by the research in the report supporting higher seafood intakes in women who are pregnant and lactating to improved neurocognitive effects in young children,” she said.

However, StarKist said there are some points that require clarification to better promote the health of all Americans. Among the required clarifications is wording and other information, focusing on the “benefits of eating seafood that were reflected in the scientific review.”

Furthermore, eliminate the reference to “lower mercury” seafood. The company argued that the cardiovascular and cognitive benefits gained from eating a variety of seafood are clear. “It is also very clear that Americans, especially women who are pregnant, eat far too little seafood,” Ali wrote. “In fact, only 20 percent of adults and 6 percent of children eat the recommended amount of seafood weekly and 50 percent of pregnant women eat less than 2 ounces a week.”

“There is no need to differentiate between high and low mercury fish. Encouraging Americans to eat more seafood should be the goal,” she points out. The committee’s report is found on - https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov - and other details — on StarKist’s letter as well as comments from others across the country on federal portal (www.regulations.gov).

Samoa News should point out that most non-profit public health agencies, including the FDA and CDC agree that pregnant women and children should avoid high mercury fish including King mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, shark, swordfish, tilefish, ahi tuna, and bigeye tuna.