Pollock

Pollock can be offered once baby is ready for solids, around 6 months. Its mercury level is low compared with other fish. One to two servings a week is considered safe.

Two white fish species from the cold northern Atlantic and Pacific go by the name pollock. It goes by different names depending on the region. Its flesh is white and flakes easily, much like cod. It is not common fresh in Turkey. You will mostly meet it as frozen fillets, fish sticks or surimi.

Nutrition

Pollock gives lean protein and omega-3 fats. It also holds vitamins B3, B6 and B12 and selenium. These support growth, the brain, the nervous system and immunity.

Pollock is low in fat. A small knob of butter, or olive or avocado oil, raises the fat content. Babies need fat for brain development.

Cook the fish through and pick out the bones. Large pieces suit baby's grip and a purée suits a spoon. After 12 months fillet strips and fish cakes also work.

Keep salt low. Ready-made fish sticks and processed pollock products carry a lot of sodium for babies. Make your own at home, or read the label and pick a lower-sodium product.

Steam from cooking fish can trigger a reaction in some allergic people. If you suspect a fish allergy in your baby, you may want to avoid cooking fish at home for now.

Pollock seldom causes choking. The main risk is bones left in fresh fish. Run your fingers along the fillet before serving and remove every bone you find.

Stay with baby during meals.

Pollock is a common allergen. Finned fish, pollock included, are listed by the World Health Organization as a global priority allergen. About 2 in 1,000 people worldwide are allergic to finned fish. Rates in children may be even lower than in adults. Around 40% of people with fish allergy have their first reaction as adults. Most do not outgrow it.

Cross-reaction

About half of people allergic to one fish react to other fish too. The main allergen, beta-parvalbumin, is found in most fish. For this reason allergists often tell a person allergic to one fish to avoid all finned fish until they see a specialist. If your baby is allergic to pollock, check with the specialist before offering other fish.

FPIES and histamine poisoning

Finned fish is a known trigger of FPIES, a delayed allergy. Repeated vomiting and diarrhea begin a few hours after eating. Left untreated, it can cause dehydration. This allergy can appear later in life and often lasts for life.

Histamine (scombroid) poisoning can look like an allergy. It happens when fish is not kept cold enough. Proper storage lowers the risk.

After common allergens have gone down well, keep serving them on a regular basis, ideally two times a week. You do not need to serve every fish species several times a week. All finned fish carry the same main proteins, so you can rotate species by availability.