What is Mark Bittman Hiding From?

For a person who makes his living as a writer, Mark Bittman has contracted an awfully convenient case of writers blockthat or he simply cant be bothered to respond to our letters. The New York Times food columnist recently penned a column offering disingenuous and harmful advice to the American public, suggesting that people limit the amount of tuna they eat based on thewhollynon-scientific advice of Dominique Browning, an environmental activist.

NFI brought a long list of concerns to the Times and its public editor, Margaret Sullivan including Bittmans failure to disclose Brownings ties to an activist environmental group, his false claims about the mercurys effects on infant health, and his ignorance of the fact that a lack of seafood consumption contributes to approximately 84,000 deaths in America every year, among many other items. These concerns were completely ignored. Even after the same concerns were raised by other outlets, Sullivan failed to address them choosing instead to write about such pressing concerns as Sesame Street and Kanye West.

When we reached out to Bittman directly, we asked a series of questions about his glaring omissions, and requested that he clarify or correct his dangerous advice.

He has so far remained silent.

Bittmans inactions suggests a lack of integrity, and readers would be wise to cast a skeptical eye on his future work. We invite the readers to take a look at our questions for Bittman and learn the truth about the health benefits of tuna.