Mercury in tuna meat

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Hi All,

 

See abstract, below.

 

One 3.5oz (100g) portion of this tuna meat would supply 303ug Hg,

which is about 54 times the maximum daily input recommended for

humans (5.6ug/d), and >275,000 times higher than the amount of Hg in

2ml Traumeel (0.0011ug).

 

Phil

 

Licata P, Trombetta D, Cristani M, Naccari C, Martino D, Calo M,

Naccari F. (2005) Heavy Metals in Liver and Muscle of Bluefin Tuna

(Thunnus thynnus) Caught in the Straits of Messina (Sicily, Italy).

Environ Monit Assess. Aug;107(1-3):239-248. This study was carried

out on bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) collected during April 2003 from

the Straits of Messina. The aim of this study is to determine heavy

metal levels (Cd, Cu, Hg, Mn, Pb and Zn) in liver and muscle tissues of

14 Thunnus thynnus of different age and sex and to investigate the

relationships between fish sex and size (length and weight and metal

concentrations in the tissues. The concentrations of the various metals

were determined by a Varian atomic absorption spectroscopy

instrument. The results showsignificant variations (p < 0.01) for Hg and

Zn concentrations in muscle than in liver samples. Concentrations of Cd

and Pb are below the instrumental detection limits in almost all muscle

samples. Levels of Hg (3.03+/-0.55ug/g) are above the MRLs only in

muscle (1mug/g) establishing toxicological risks for the consumer.

Regression analysis shows a negative correlation between mercury

level and weight and length in samples from both female and male. No

significant difference between mean heavy metals concentrations and

male or female tuna is seen. For greater food safety, it would be

advisable to reduce the mercury intake by selecting safer fish, species

and size and by the avoidance of tuna fish consumption by pregnant

women, young children and old people, who are more sensitive to

mercury exposure. PMID: 16418915 [PubMed - as supplied by

publisher]