Whitebait
Whitebait is safe during pregnancy. These tiny fish are always served cooked — usually deep-fried whole — and are low in mercury thanks to their small size and short lifespan.
Last updated: October 2026 Cross-checked against NHS guidance
Whitebait are the tiny, immature fry of fish like herring or sprat, traditionally coated lightly in flour and deep-fried whole, bones, heads and all. Because they're eaten so young and small, they're very low in mercury compared to larger, longer-lived fish, and standard preparation always involves thorough cooking, so there's no raw-fish concern the way there is with something like sushi. Eating them whole, bones included, also makes them a good source of calcium. As with any fried food, the main thing to be mindful of is how it's cooked rather than the fish itself — make sure they're properly cooked through and golden, which is how they're normally served anyway.
What to be aware of
- Make sure whitebait is cooked through — standard deep-fried preparation already ensures this.
- Low in mercury due to their small size and short lifespan, so no portion restriction applies the way it does for larger fish.
- As with any fried food, enjoy in moderation as part of a varied diet.
US guidance
US guidance treats small, low-mercury fish like whitebait as a safe, unrestricted choice, consistent with UK guidance.