The Hidden Threat in Tuna
Investigation Uncovers Mercury in European Cans
What’s the issue?
After an investigation, the French NGO Bloom raises the alarm regarding the concentration of mercury in canned tuna.
Along with the consumer rights organisation Foodwatch, the NGO Bloom, which deals with preserving the marine environment, analysed almost 150 cans of tuna sold in Europe, more particularly from Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The results are clear. All of the cans contain mercury, and more than one in two tins tested (57%) exceeded the strictest maximum mercury limit defined for fish in the European Union (0.3 mg/kg).
Photographer Jean Wimmerlin, 2018, via www.unsplash.com
Are there any effects on our health?
Methylmercury, which is the most common mercury form found in food, is classified as “possibly carcinogenic to humans”. In a pre-recorded video shown at a press conference about the report, Philippe Grandjean, a professor in environmental medicine at the University of Southern Denmark explains that “Mercury is toxic to the nervous tissue and in particular, it is toxic for the formation and development of the brain that happens in foetal life and in early childhood”. Young children are thus the most vulnerable population with pregnant women, since mercury damages the developing brain and can induce neurobehavioral disorders, and impaired cognitive faculties.
A health scandal rooted in environmental harm
Although mercury is naturally present in our environment, notably through volcanic eruptions and forest fires, human activities account for two-thirds of mercury sources. This is mostly due to the combustion of coal and fossil fuels, as well as waste incineration plants. These activities make the mercury disperse in our ecosystems, where it is transformed into methylmercury, and accumulates in marine organisms. As a predator at the top of the food chain, tuna accumulate heavy metals from their prey, resulting in a great increase in mercury contamination compared with smaller species.
According to the ONG Bloom, the legislation remains clear, but very few controls and tests are being carried out by industrial fishermen and major retail chains. The two NGOs have launched an international petition calling on ten of the largest European retailers to “assume responsibility for consumer health”, demanding for better and more rigorous controls, as well as clear labelling associated with mercury contamination on tuna products.
→ Link to the petition : click here
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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Written by Zoe Stylios
Edited by Neve Bonura Learnard
