It's official: mercury contamination in tuna is out of control. We are no longer talking about traces or 'acceptable' levels. Every can in European supermarkets contains quantities of this toxic metal that should trigger an immediate alarm. Instead, the silence of the institutions is deafening: how and why did we get to this situation?
An unprecedented emergency
The data are alarming. In Italy, where (although slightly decreasing compared to the past) the consumption of canned tuna reaches 2,5 kg per capita per year, the situation is particularly critical. The associations BLOOM e Foodwatch have conducted tests on a large scale that leaves no room for interpretation: There is not a single can of tuna in European supermarkets that is free of mercury.
The phenomenon is known, it has a precise scientific explanation. Tuna, being a marine predator at the top of the food chain, accumulates mercury present in the organisms it feeds on. A process known as bioaccumulate but with the increasing pollution of the oceans, has reached critical levels.
Mercury Tuna: Real Risks and Institutional Silence
THEWorld Health Organization is categorical: mercury is among the most dangerous chemicals for human health. Even at low doses it can cause irreversible neurological damage, particularly in children and fetuses. In Italy, where Canned tuna is present in 94% of family pantries, the risk of chronic exposure is particularly high.
And here the inexplicable happens: despite the scientific evidence, the authorities maintain a worrying silence. The current tolerance limits, according to almost all consumer associations, they are inadequate and are often not even respected. A situation that has worsened due to the lack of systematic and transparent controls.
The fight for change
Consumer protection organizations are calling for immediate action: recall of the most contaminated cans from the market, revision of tolerance limits and more stringent controls. Large distribution chains continue to ignore the alarm. Faced with the inertia of the institutions, consumers are starting to react.
In France, appeals and petitions are pouring in (one has already reached over 40.000 signatures). In Italy, where canned tuna represents a market worth over 1,3 billion euros, the first serious signs of concern are only now being recorded. When will the issue be given the right amount of space?
Mercury Tuna, Are There Sustainable Solutions?
Experts suggest that diversifying marine protein sources, favoring smaller fish with less mercury accumulation. But the underlying problem remains: ocean pollution has grown too high and with it the levels of mercury in the marine food chain. This emergency is not sudden: The warnings had been around for years. But the intertwining of economic interests and the reluctance to address the problem have led to a situation that now appears out of control. The question is no longer whether to intervene, but when and how to do it before it is too late.
“This is a major public health problem that can no longer be ignored,” say experts Foodwatch. “Every day of delay in addressing this emergency puts the health of millions of consumers at risk, especially the most vulnerable categories.”
And us? Do we still make fish in barrels (or cans)?
