Unusually High Mercury in Tuna Sushi
--Read More In: Mind/Brain | News | Nutrition | Signal
Workers of the World Unite!!
At last our pinko commie revenge upon the shoulder-surfing Rich Bastards is at hand!!!!
In the form, of ...
... ...
-tuna.
The NYT reports on a study they had started last year with scientists from Robert Wood Johnson Med Center and Rutgers University.
The results show that in all locations they tested around New York City, the levels of Mercury (as methylmercury) found in Tuna Sushi were elevated. -In fact, a few locations had levels so high that the FDA could legally take action against the vendors in question.
Due to the size of fish pieces and concentrations of each, a person could reach the EPA's Daily Reference Dose of Mercury in as few as ~1-2 pieces. The least contaminated tuna would have the average 154lb. person at that dose in about 72 pieces.
The most important takeaway is that the highest concentrations of mercury came in the ~most expensive tuna sushi: Bluefin. Lower concentrations are found in smaller species of tuna.
Astoundingly, it seems no government agency regularly tests seafood for levels of mercury.
In addition, the City of New York produced a follow-up Safer Seafood brochure after their 2004 Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to help the most susceptible diners: women, pregnant women, and children. The city lists some high-mercury fish as: chilean sea bass, grouper, king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, shark, swordfish, tilefish, and tuna.
Note, The reference doses for Mercury that have been established are as follows: EPA:0.1micrograms/kilo of bodyweight/day, FDA:0.4microg/kilo/day, WHO:0.23microg/kilo/day
Follow the links for the list of Restaurants and Vendors and more specific information
photo "IMG_2660", by Flickr user sjmcdonough.
NYT Tuna Mercury NYC-HaNES MercuryAnswers EPA-IRIS EWG-Tunafish Calculator
-Or consider Contributing via Amazon or PayPal. -thanks!
Posted by Will on 02/15/08 | Comments (0) | Email to a friend |
