Mercury in Seafood is #1 Food Safety Concern

A recent nationwide survey of affluent shoppers reported that Americans are paying closer attention to food safety and quality claims when purchasing food . Mercury in seafood was ranked as the top concern among both women and men. The responses from 600 people were summarized in report was published by Context Marketing and conducted by MRops, Inc. See the full report.

Sixty-one percent of respondents cited mercury in seafood as their top food safety issue above pesticides (60 percent); and artificial hormones (58 percent). Concern for overall food safety ranked highest among women, while both men and women became more troubled by such issues as they aged.

“The good news is that so many affluent shoppers know that mercury in seafood is a problem — they are getting the message,” said Teri Shore, Program Director, “But the downside is that there is no requirement in the U. S. for any commericial fresh fish or canned tuna to carry advisories about mercury due to lobbying by seafood interests. It is buyer beware. I also wonder what the findings would be if given to low-income shoppers who eat a lot of mercury-laden canned tuna.”

The GotMercury calculator is one easy way to estimate mercury exposure from fish. People who eat a lot of fish may want to get tested for mercury levels and consult their physician. The FDA advises that women of child-bearing age and children not eat swordfish, mackeral, tilefish, or shark and to strictly limit fresh or canned tuna consumption.