Day 034 - 11 Oct 94 - Page 67


     
     1        I have referred to earlier related to mercury and
     2        polychlorinated biphenyls and others which is a very
     3        serious problem, at least, in the waterways in North
     4        America.
     5
     6   Q.   In some parts of the world pollution is a problem.  Your
     7        vegetables can be polluted by emissions from traffic, can
     8        they not?  There is nothing special about fish as victims
     9        of pollution, is there, Dr. Barnard?
    10        A.  I cannot agree with.
    11
    12   Q.   You do not believe that high concentrates of led, or it
    13        might be nitrates and nitrites in vegetables may be
    14        damaging to human health?
    15        A.  Yes, contamination of vegetables and fruits can be a
    16        very serious problem.
    17
    18   Q.   It can, can it not?  So, on that basis fish are no better
    19        or worse off than vegetables, are they?
    20        A.  There are particular health concerns of fish.
    21
    22   Q.   It is not an argument against eating fish, that some of
    23        them are contaminated by the carelessness of human
    24        polluting agents, is it?
    25        A.  I am trying to understand what would be a "yes" or
    26        "no" to that question.
    27
    28   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  No.
    29
    30   MR. RAMPTON:  I am wondering -----
    31        A.  There are particular problems from fish, yes.
    32
    33   Q.   I am wondering what really lies at the root of your
    34        opposition to the consumption of fish?
    35        A.  Fish, clearly, well, not all fish, many species of
    36        fish, excluding, for example, the mobile shell fish such
    37        as shrimp and lobster what we call crayfish, setting those
    38        to the side, most other fish are lower in cholesterol,
    39        although those particular ones are really quite high in
    40        cholesterol, higher per weight than beef, quite
    41        substantially.
    42
    43   Q.   Which kind of cholesterol?
    44        A.  There is only one kind of cholesterol in food.
    45
    46   Q.   You are talking about dietary cholesterol?
    47        A.  Yes, I am talking about the cholesterol content.
    48
    49   Q.   Can I do a little red herring with you -- that is not a
    50        pun on the conversation about fish -- dietary cholesterol 
    51        is no longer the same kind of concern as blood serum 
    52        cholesterol, is it? 
    53        A.  Epidemiological studies and clinical studies have
    54        given most attention to serum cholesterol.  One
    55        contributor to that which is still as important as it ever
    56        was is dietary cholesterol.  You are quite correct in that
    57        it is not as important as the amount of saturated fat, but
    58        it is an important factor.
    59
    60   Q.   Your argument against fish is cholesterol, that

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