How worried should we really be about mercury in canned tuna?

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What experts want you to know before you crack open your next can.

to many health benefits and the prevention of various conditions including obesity, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases. Oily fish, such as tuna and salmon, are particularly high in essential omega-3 fatty acids and a good source of protein, with health authoritiesAccording to the Marine Stewardship Council, 14.4 million Australians buy canned tuna each year.But there are caveats. In the case of tuna and other piscivorous fish , it’s the threat of mercury poisoning.

The problem is that once that mercury enters the aquatic environment, micro-organisms can alter it to a much more toxic “organic” form, which can be absorbed through the digestive tract and spread throughout the body, including to the brain.“As larger predators like tuna eat these smaller fish, the mercury accumulates in their bodies because it does not break down or leave the body easily.

“Tuna are high up the food chain. Because of their lifestyle and rapid metabolism, they consume a lot of fish to supply their energy needs and are, therefore, exposed to high amounts of mercury in their diet,” says environmental chemist Edward Butler.There are two types of mercury exposure: acute and chronic.

“The brain is a major target of mercury toxicity, and can be associated with tremors, anxiety, depression, irritability, memory problems and numbness of the hands, feet, or mouth,” says Musgrave.Yes, pregnant people and children. Because mercury can freely cross the placenta and accumulate in the fetal brain, it can

 

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