Mercury contamination in tuna: Carrefour, Coop, Lidl and Esselunga in the crosshairs of NGOs

Mercury contamination in tuna: Carrefour, Coop, Lidl and Esselunga in the crosshairs of NGOs

After a series of checks and analyses on 148 samples, the NGO Bloom found that all the tuna cans tested and coming from various European countries, including Italy and France, were contaminated with mercury, with levels of methylmercury, a substance toxic to the human nervous system and particularly risky for children and during pregnancy. 57% of the samples exceeded 0.3 mg/kg of mercury, and in three products a level above the EU limit of 1 mg/kg was found. Despite this, manufacturers and industry authorities claim that average mercury levels are well below regulatory limits and that controls are frequent and rigorous.

Bloom and other NGOs, such as Foodwatch, are calling for a lowering of the mercury threshold allowed in tuna products, from 1 mg/kg to 0.3 mg/kg, banning the sale of products with higher levels. The NGOs have started a petition targeting retail chains such as Carrefour, Coop, Esselunga and Lidl to adopt strict controls and ban the marketing of tuna with contamination above 0.3 mg/kg. The initiative also calls for a ban on tuna in school canteens, hospitals and facilities for the elderly, and for information labels on the risks of consumption.

Petit Navire, one of the brands involved, has responded by defending the safety of its products and stating that its monthly checks have never shown mercury levels above standard. The company confirms that its products comply with European regulations and reaffirms its commitment to consumer food safety by conducting regular analyses through independent laboratories.

the oceans defence association Bloom has had nearly 150 canned tuna analysed and is using these results to claim that the permitted levels of mercury in the meat of this fish, the most widely consumed in Europe, have been lowered.