Watch out for imported Tuna

[TopGearNL]

I eat alot of tuna, just checked mine lol

Imported tuna has high levels of mercury, says study WASHINGTON: Several imported canned tuna consignments contain higher levels of toxic mercury than permitted by federal laws, according to an analysis by environmental group Defenders of Wildlife. The group said it found the highest levels of mercury in tuna shipped from Ecuador and Mexico -- two countries known to catch tuna from locations populated by dolphins, as tuna has tendency to swim below dolphins in large numbers. The group's senior vice president of conservation Bob Irvin said these countries are known to catch larger, more mature fish, which tend to have higher levels of mercury, being at the top of the food chain. The group's study indicated that among some 144 cans of imported "light tuna" from Ecuador, Mexico, Costa Rica, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines, and pulled out from grocery stores, the average mercury content was .269 parts per million, which is more than twice the average reported by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and much above the permitted level. The analysis of the samples also found that average mercury content of U.S. tuna was generally lower than imported tuna, tuna from Asia had the lowest average levels of mercury and tuna from Latin America had the highest mercury levels. The tests indicated higher levels of mercury even in light tuna, which the FDA considers to be low in mercury. Defenders of Wildlife advises people to have light tuna once a week, instead of the recommended two, and to avoid canned tuna, especially those imported from Latin America. The study showed that about half of the canned tuna in the U.S. is imported. The federal government recommends that pregnant women, nursing mothers and young children should avoid fish with high levels of mercury - shark, swordfish, king mackerel or tilefish. Mercury in excess can cause learning disabilities and developmental delays in children and to heart, nervous system and kidney damage in adults.