Noun:
	inorganic elements (minerals) that are essential for the growth of living organisms.

Fish is a rich source of a large number of minerals. Shellfish particularly tend to accumulate and store trace elements from their surroundings and are one of the richest sources of zinc available with recorded levels of up to 100 mg/100g.

In general, fish contains 25-50% of the iron found in red meat. It is ‘non-haem’ iron and, as such, is not as well absorbed as the ‘haem’ iron that is found in meat.

Althoug the mechanism is not known, fish and shellfish promote the absorption of non-haem iron in the diet and, per 100 g, shellfish contains the same amount of iron as red meat. However, it is rarely eaten in the same quantities.

Fish with edible bones, e.g. tinned salmon and sardines, can be a very rich source of calcium and phosphorous in the diet.

Most people are familiar with the fact that fish from the sea is one of the few reliable sources of iiodine. As a result, goitre - a disease caused by iodine deficiency - very rarely occurs in fish eating populations.

Selenium, another essential trace element, is a good source of selenium.

based on the documentation of "Nutritional Aspects of Fish" prepared by the Irish Sea Fisheries Board (AN BORD IASCAIGH MHARA)