Risk–benefit assessment of cooked seafood: Black scabbard fish (Aphanopus carbo) and edible crab (Cancer pagurus) as case studies

A risk–benefit assessment was performed in two marine resources of great importance in Southern Europe, i.e. black scabbard fish (Aphanopus carbo) and edible crab (Cancer pagurus), by determining the intake of Methyl-Hg, Cd, Se and EPA + DHA through the consumption of these species, as well as the associated probability of exceeding the tolerable weekly intakes (TWI; for Methyl-Hg and Cd) or dietary reference intakes (DRI; for Se and EPA + DHA). Average weekly intakes (AWI) were estimated by combination of the consumption frequencies in the Portuguese population and the concentration of each constituent. To estimate probabilities, two estimators were used: plug-in (PI) for higher probabilities and tail estimation (TE) based on the application of the extreme value theory to intakes distribution curves for lower probabilities. It was found that edible crab's white meat (meat from claws and legs) can be included on a well balanced diet, but black scabbard fish and edible crab's brown meat (mixture of gonads and hepatopancreas) should be consumed parsimoniously by adults and children.

► The effect of cooking should be taken into account in risk–benefit assessment.
► Black scabbard fish and edible crab brown meat can be a risk to Portuguese consumers.
► Edible crab white meat can be included on a well balanced diet due to Se content.
► The intake of EPA + DHA cannot be considered as a benefit for both species.
► The risk–benefit assessment tool can be used for other relevant seafood species.