"Some chunk light tuna was actually quite high in mercury, although typically it has only half or one-third as much as albacore," Finkelstein said. The researchers analyzed the mercury content of the tuna being served in the dining halls, collecting samples periodically over several months, and found that the mercury content was variable, with some samples having five times as much mercury as others. Some of the students surveyed at UC Santa Cruz reported having more than 20 servings of tuna per week. Consumers are advised to eat no more than two to three servings per week of low-mercury fish (including skipjack and tongol tuna, often labeled "chunk light") or one serving per week of fish with higher levels of mercury (including albacore and yellow fin tuna). ![]() Nearly all fish contain some mercury, but tuna, especially the larger species, are known to accumulate relatively high levels of the toxic metal. "Any time you have a dining hall situation where people are helping themselves, some residents may be eating way too much tuna," she said. Other changes may be made after a more thorough assessment, said William Prime, executive director of dining services.įinkelstein said this issue could be a concern for all kinds of institutions with dining halls, especially those serving children, such as boarding schools. New signs in the campus dining halls will now give students information about mercury in tuna and guidelines for fish consumption. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), considered a maximum safe level (0.1 micrograms of methylmercury per kilogram of body weight per day).īefore the results were published, Finkelstein discussed her team's findings with UCSC administrators who oversee the dining halls. Half of the tuna eaters reported eating three or more tuna meals per week, potentially exceeding the "reference dose" established by the U.S. ![]() In the surveys, about a third of students reported weekly tuna consumption, and 80 percent of their tuna meals were at the campus dining halls, where tuna is regularly available from the salad bar. Graduate student Yasuhiko Murata led the study and is first author of a paper on their findings, which has been accepted for publication in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry and is available online. "Their lack of knowledge about the risk of exposure to mercury is surprising." "I've been dumbfounded when students have told me they eat tuna every day," Finkelstein said. She said the study was prompted by her experiences teaching students about mercury in the environment and hearing about how much tuna some students eat. ![]() Finkelstein said college students should also limit their exposure to mercury because their nervous systems are still developing and they are of reproductive age. Because of its effects on neurological development and reproductive health, concerns about mercury exposure are greatest for pregnant women and children. ![]() Tuna and other large fish contain significant amounts of mercury in its most toxic form (methylmercury), and exposure to high levels of methylmercury can cause neurological damage. "Our results were consistent with other studies of mercury levels in hair from people who eat a lot of fish." "It doesn't necessarily mean that they would be experiencing toxic effects, but it's a level at which it's recommended to try to lower your mercury exposure," said Myra Finkelstein, an associate adjunct professor of environmental toxicology at UC Santa Cruz. And for some students, their hair mercury measurements were above what is considered a "level of concern." They found that hair mercury levels were closely correlated with how much tuna the students said they ate. Researchers at UC Santa Cruz surveyed students outside of campus dining halls on their tuna consumption habits and knowledge of mercury exposure risks, and also measured the mercury levels in hair samples from the students. A surprising number of students eating in university dining halls have been helping themselves to servings of tuna well beyond the amounts recommended to avoid consuming too much mercury, a toxic heavy metal.
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