Tuna — A Deadly Killer
January 23rd, 2008 by Brian Ries in Food Sources, Health, MediaThe NYT had one of their seemingly annual food analysis projects hit the paper today. This time they tested sushi-grade tuna from NY-area restaurants and markets for mercury levels. Turns out even raw fish’ll kill you.
Tuna at five of the twenty places they tested had mercury levels so high the FDA could actually pull the fish from the shelves, or, well, your plate. This time the wealthy gets hit the hardest — the most expensive tuna comes from prized giant bluefin and, since they’re bigger, they have time to absorb more mercury.
The study concluded that, on average, people who eat more than six pieces of tuna sushi a week will be exceeding the FDA’s recommended blood mercury limit. That’s assuming, of course, that the rest of the week you refrain from eating anything else that might contain the pesky mineral.
January 23rd, 2008 at 5:58 pm
Truly frightening.
Thanks Big Coal and mining companies for ruining my spicy tuna rolls!
February 6th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
A sushi server once told me that the more rancid tuna was used in the spicy tuna rolls. When combined with the “spice,” you couldn’t taste the “rank.” Is that true???