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OTTAWA, May 30 (Xinhua)--Health Canada is warning Canadians to limit their consumption of shark, swordfish, fresh and frozen tuna to one meal per week over concerns about mercury levels.
According to an advisory issued on Wednesday, Health Canada also suggests pregnant women, women of child-bearing age and young children eat these types of fish no more than once per month.
This warning does not apply to canned tuna because the level of mercury can be more easily regulated.
Mercury is a naturally-occurring element. However, mercury in lakes, streams and oceans can be transformed by bacteria to methyl mercury, a more toxic form of the element. It is the predominant form of mercury in fish, especially in species that are predators.
Consuming high amounts of mercury can damage the nervous system.
Long-term studies are being conducted to see what trace amounts of mercury can do, specifically in children.
However, the government says exotic fish is more popular than ever and the marketplace demands it.
''We're confident that you can have these on the marketplace and that if you follow this advice there will be no risk for consumers, `` said John Salminen, a Health Canada spokesman.
Health Canada puts mercury limits at 0.5 parts per million (ppm) , but mercury levels in shark, swordfish and fresh and frozen tuna can run between 0.5 and 1.5 ppm.
This limit is much stricter than in other countries. In the United States, for example, the acceptable level of methyl mercury is 1.0 ppm.
OTTAWA, May 30 (Xinhua)--Health Canada is warning Canadians to limit their consumption of shark, swordfish, fresh and frozen tuna to one meal per week over concerns about mercury levels.
According to an advisory issued on Wednesday, Health Canada also suggests pregnant women, women of child-bearing age and young children eat these types of fish no more than once per month.
This warning does not apply to canned tuna because the level of mercury can be more easily regulated.
Mercury is a naturally-occurring element. However, mercury in lakes, streams and oceans can be transformed by bacteria to methyl mercury, a more toxic form of the element. It is the predominant form of mercury in fish, especially in species that are predators.
Consuming high amounts of mercury can damage the nervous system.
Long-term studies are being conducted to see what trace amounts of mercury can do, specifically in children.
However, the government says exotic fish is more popular than ever and the marketplace demands it.
''We're confident that you can have these on the marketplace and that if you follow this advice there will be no risk for consumers, `` said John Salminen, a Health Canada spokesman.
Health Canada puts mercury limits at 0.5 parts per million (ppm) , but mercury levels in shark, swordfish and fresh and frozen tuna can run between 0.5 and 1.5 ppm.
This limit is much stricter than in other countries. In the United States, for example, the acceptable level of methyl mercury is 1.0 ppm.
