Is There Mercury In Tuna Fish

Is There Mercury In Tuna Fish? Well, it could depend on whether you heed EPA or FDA standards ad their reports.

Early February of 2010, a report came out that more than half of samples of brand name canned tuna contained more mercury than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) deem safe by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Once again raising concern among tuna lovers everywhere, especially pregnant women and folks who feed their cats canned tuna.

Yet the very same report found that only 5 percent of canned tuna samples contained mercury levels that exceeded the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) standards for safety, which are less stringent than the EPA’s.

The question for Baby Boomer consumers is: Is it OK to keep eating that tuna sandwich, suchi and forcing Aunt Bea’s tuna casserole down?

“We never say, ‘Don’t eat tuna,’” stated lead researcher and author, Shawn Gerstenberger, a professor of environmental and occupational health at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. “We are saying if you are in a high-risk group and are worried about mercury exposure, there are some easy consumer choices you can make to limit exposure.”

In the research, published in the February issue of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry, the study tested more than 300 samples of canned tuna fish and found “white” tuna fish, or albacore tuna fish, consistently had higher concentrations of mercury than “light” tuna fish. But, who would eat light tuna when you can eat white tuna?

How Do Tunas Get Mercury

According to Gerstenberger, “All fish generally accumulate mercury in two ways: either by absorbing it through their skin or scales from the water itself, or by eating other organisms that all ready contain mercury. Since albacore tuna fish is a larger species and higher up on the food chain than smaller tuna species, it generally contains more mercury.”

What Does The EPA and EDA Say

The EPA and the FDA state that, “High risk groups such as pregnant women, nursing mothers and women who might become pregnant and young children, should limit their weekly tuna consumption to no more than 12 ounces of light tuna fish a week and no more than 6 ounces of albacore tuna fish.

While America’s federal agencies agree on their consumption guidelines, the FDA and the EPA differ on one significant issue: standards for how much mercury is safe for tuna fish to contain in the first place.

The FDA sets a standard of no more than 1.0 parts per million (ppm) of mercury for commercially caught fish. Most of the tuna fish sold in U.S. grocery stores is commercially caught and therefore subject to the FDA standards.

However, the EPA, has jurisdiction over the nation’s lakes and streams, regulates sport or recreational fishing and the EPA sets a more stringent standard of no more than 0.5 parts per million (ppm) of mercury.

What Standard For Mercury Should Baby Boomer Consumers Follow

“The EPA has done a great deal of work in evaluating exposures. I’m not saying the FDA hasn’t, but it’s hard to make a case that who catches the fish should determine the standard. We feel we would rather err on the side of safety and look at the lower standard,” states the EPA.

Is There Mercury In Tuna Fish

Well, the National Fisheries Institute, however are not buying that conclusion. “Trace amounts of mercury found in some tuna don’t outweigh the health benefits of eating it,” stated Gavin Gibbons, director of media relations for the National Fisheries Institute. FFI is the trade association that represents commercial fishermen, producers, restaurants and processors.

Where Does The Mercury Come From

Much of the mercury found in the oceans where tuna fishes are caught is happening naturally. Prime sources are mineral deposits, underwater vents or volcanoes.

The EPA’s main concern is about what’s released into America’s lakes and streams due to industrial or senseless human activity. According to the EPA, they have low tolerance for polluters.

This Baby Boomer says that is a big pile of donkey poop…because if they were so concerned, we would NOT be eating fish today that had mercury in it.

According to the FDA, “Commercial and sport caught fish are very distinct, and the level of mercury that’s permitted is different. The FDA looks at the effect of mercury on the human body, while the EPA’s standard is based on its regulatory power over utilities and the environment. They are not regulating for consumption reasons but for environmental health.”

They continued with, “there has been no cases of mercury toxicity from normal consumption of commercial seafood in any peer reviewed study. Nobody has ever gotten sick from the methyl mercury from the normal seafood you find in restaurants and supermarkets.”

Furthermore, he stated, the FDA guidelines have an uncertainty factor built in that limit mercury exposures to levels 10 times lower than the lowest levels associated with adverse effects.

There are Tuna Recipes in our Recipe Section

“Canned tuna is safe,” Gibbons said. “Consumers should trust that canned tuna continues to be a safe, healthy source of lean protein and omega-3 fatty acids.”

While Gerstenberger concurred that much of the mercury found in the oceans is naturally occurring, human activity such as incinerating batteries and industry has contributed, he stated.

Mercury content in fish is highly dependent on their environment, including where they are caught and the size of the fish. Gerstenberger stated that he would not reveal the brand names tested in the study because he expected those with the highest mercury levels would flip flop throughout the year, depending on where their suppliers were fishing.

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has a chart as to how much tuna you can eat safely and their table provides a guidelines on how much canned tuna it is safe to eat, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. While mercury poses the most serious health threat to children and women who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, others may also wish to use this list as a guide, if you trust the FDA. But, remember that they are the same agency that walks hand and hand with or with their hand out to the large pharmaceutical companies.

What Are The Affects Of Mercury Poisoning

The health effects of mercury poisoning include central nervous system damage, hearing loss and vision problems. Though there are no specific mercury warnings for anyone outside of the high-risk groups, Gerstenberger recommended other adults also eat tuna in moderation…although what that amount is may be anyone’s guess.

“There are plenty of health benefits that have been documented from eating tuna and other fish,” Gerstenberger stated. “It’s important for consumers to weigh all of that and make a decision.”

The research involved federal regulators to require canned tuna producers to provide detailed information to consumers about the mercury content and to disclose tuna harvest locations. Consumers are still waiting for that disclosure…

Is There Mercury In Tuna Fish? Well, you might want to look to the FDA for more information on mercury in our fish in America.