Shocking: European supermarkets are massively selling tuna contaminated with toxic mercury
Tuna is the most widely consumed fish in Europe. It is also one of the fish species most contaminated with mercury. And to make matters worse, it is also the fish with the least protective standards for consumers. Complete madness – especially when you consider the health risks of mercury and substances derived from it. And that is what we take in when we buy tuna from the supermarket. What exactly is going on?
Mercury is one of the 10 most concerning substances in the world according to the World Health Organization, alongside asbestos and arsenic. A mercury derivative often found in food is methylmercury. This substance has been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as possibly carcinogenic. This metal is also a powerful neurotoxin: it is especially dangerous for pregnant women and children, but can also affect brain function in adults.
Profit versus health
Despite mercury’s toxicity, European regulations allow up to 1 mg/kg in tuna, compared with just 0.3 to 0.5 mg/kg for other fish. Bizarre, because mercury is no less toxic in tuna than in other, smaller fish species. The reason for this lax approach is very simple: so that the fishing industry can continue selling its stocks, the regulations have been adjusted to allow 95% of its tuna to be sold. We see it more often: corporate interests (profit, profit, more profit!) take priority over our health.
Alarming results
In a French-language report published at the end of October 2024, French NGO BLOOM tested 148 cans of tuna from a large part of Europe (Germany, England, Spain, France and Italy). No cans from the Dutch market were tested in this study. The results are nevertheless alarming. 100% of the cans were contaminated with mercury, 10% also exceeded the current limit tolerated for fresh tuna (1mg/kg), and 57% exceeded the level of 0.3 mg/kg, which offers greater protection for health and is validly applied to other fish species.
Because of the dangers associated with regularly ingesting mercury, even in small doses, food watchdog Foodwatch France, together with BLOOM, is demanding that all cans exceeding the limit of 0.3 mg/kg be removed from sale. Foodwatch France has launched an online petition. More information and participation are available via this link (website in French).
Fish Tales tuna
Quite apart from the mercury in tuna, most tuna is also caught using destructive fishing methods. That is why I personally only buy cans of tuna from the Dutch company Fish Tales. This company works with fishing communities that fish in harmony with nature. All tuna sold by Fish Tales carries the Pole & Line logo. This indicates that each tuna is caught one by one using a pole and line. This says nothing about the possible mercury content, but it does mean you can be sure that there is hardly any bycatch and that the ecosystem is not damaged. Fish Tales is available at Albert Heijn and, from Monday 25 November, also with a 15% discount.
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