Source: Organic Authority
Researchers at the University of Las Vegas tested mercury levels in canned tuna.
Of the 300 samples tested, representing three top national brands (unnamed):
· 55% exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency’s standards for mercury levels (0.5 parts per million, or ppm).
· 5% of the samples exceeded 1.0 ppm.
Researchers tested cans purchased in area grocery stores over a 4-month period, separating samples by brand, type (white vs. light), packaging medium (oil vs. water), lot number and expiration date. All brands tested contained samples with mercury levels higher than the recommended EPA limits for safe consumption.
White tuna, across all brands, registered the highest mercury concentrations because it comes from albacore—a species that’s more susceptible to mercury pollution from human sources.
The study, published in Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry, recommends that regulatory agencies require the tuna industry to provide detailed information on mercury content and disclose the locations where tuna are caught.
According to the EPA, the average child can consume no more than one can of tuna every 18 days.