The fisheries industry frequently counters that mercury reports as scare-mongering by environmentalists and says any risk from mercury more than outweighed by the health benefits of eating more fish.Īccording to the US National Fisheries Institute, there has never been a confirmed case of mercury toxicity in the United States through eating commercial seafood. The authors suggest some species with particularly high average mercury levels, like marlin or Pacific bluefin tuna be left off the menu altogether, while others such as grouper or albacore tuna should be limited to one meal a month. The reports call for a new international benchmark for safe mercury consumption, at around one-quarter of the current US recommended dosage. "Several of these studies clearly show that the consumption of ordinary amounts of fish with higher mercury levels can cause health risks to the developing foetus and children." "Recent studies have found adverse effects below exposure levels considered 'safe' just a few years ago," says one report. Such guidelines are out of date and stricter rules are needed to avoid the risk that even low levels of mercury could lead to health issues such as impeded brain development in unborn children, according to the new reports which were produced by the Maine-based Biodiversity Research Institute and an international coalition of environmental campaign groups called the Zero Mercury Working Group. The European Union recommends pregnant or breastfeeding women not to eat tuna more than twice a week, while the US Food and Drug Administration says they should avoid shark, swordfish or king mackerel, although it says some tuna should be included in their diet. The mercury levels at Minamata were uniquely high, but since then scientists have sought to discover whether tiny traces of mercury found in seafood across the oceans could have an impact on the health of fish-eating humans.Īlthough little risk has been detected in most types of fish, the authorities have long warned vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women and small children, to limit their consumption of certain species of big ocean predators. Many children whose mothers had eaten contaminated fish were born with severe disabilities. Thousands suffered poisoning, which in extreme cases led to insanity, deformation and death. Scientists have warned about the potential dangers of mercury in seafood since the 1950s when mercury-contaminated waste water was dumped in the sea from a factory in Minamata, Japan. "There does appear to be evidence now, fairly persuasive evidence, that adverse effects occur from normal amounts of seafood consumption." "These are not trivial effects, these are significant effects," Groth, an adviser to the World Health Organization, told journalists in a Web conference. Edward Groth, author of one of two new reports published ahead of a United Nations conference on mercury pollution. "Levels of exposure that are defined as safe by the official limits, are actually having adverse effects," said Dr. Mercury contamination in big fish such as sharks, swordfish and certain types of tuna is on the rise, and smaller traces of the toxic metal may be enough to cause restricted brain development or other health problems for humans who eat them, according to data released Tuesday. This article originally appeared on GlobalPost.īRUSSELS, Belgium - Can eating too much sushi reduce your brain power?
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