Certainly! Here is the content you requested:
Industry bodies dispute tuna contamination claims after NGO finds high levels of mercury
Table of Contents
-
- Industry bodies dispute tuna contamination claims after NGO finds high levels of mercury
- Mercury contamination: BLOOM exposes a health scandal on an unprecedented scale
- High levels of mercury found in tinned tuna posing a health risk – Euronews
- Projector on the contradictions of industrialists
- Next step: total transparency
- Elevated Mercury Levels in Canned Tuna: A Health Concern
- Interview with the Editor
- Editor: Can you explain the main concerns raised in your recent article about the mercury levels in tuna?
- Editor: Why do you think industrialists have been lobbying to keep the threshold at 1 mg/kg?
- Editor: How do you interpret the declaration by the industrialists to double their tests?
- Editor: What further steps should be taken to resolve this controversy?
- Editor: Are there any links or resources where readers can learn more about this issue?
- Editor: What are the main takeaways from this discussion?
- Conclusion
Lab tests of 148 tins of canned tuna sold in the EU, conducted by environmental NGO Bloom, have revealed “unprecedented” levels of mercury. The French advocate alleges that international organizations and fisheries associations echo industry narratives that downplay the risks of mercury in tuna. However, Pesca España, a Spanish association named in Bloom’s report, tells …
Mercury contamination: BLOOM exposes a health scandal on an unprecedented scale
However, to our knowledge, since 2023 a major importer like France does not carry out any checks on the contamination of tinned tuna: not even one check a year. The public authorities are not even trying to hide their complicity with the tuna industry. They have given industrial fishermen and major retail chains a license to contaminate”.
High levels of mercury found in tinned tuna posing a health risk – Euronews
Canned tuna in Europe has a high mercury concentration, exceeding the limit for other fish, according to a new report from the Paris-based NGO Bloom,…
Rather of promptly adopting a mercury concentration standard at 0.3 mg/kg, distributors have probably accelerated the contamination of the most precarious populations with these promotional offers. A scandal that is added to the initial scandal.
Advertising offensive of manufacturers to save their profits
The industrialists, cornered, launched a new desperate attempt to save their sales. Monday, February 3, the Bras-de-fer between industrialists and Bloom and its partner Foodwatch, resumed: the French Syndicate of Fish Shore which notably brings together the small ships, Saupiquet, Constable and La Belle Iloise, appeared in full page In newspapers in the national and regional press (Les Échos, Sud Ouest, the latest news from Alsace …) an advertising advertising “Mercury in tuna: let’s take stock together”.The media offensive of manufacturers claims loudly that the canned tuna produced in France is healthy for consumption, which is in total contradiction with the results of our tests.
This includes the content from the web search results you provided.It seems like your sharing a text that discusses the safety measures and testing protocols for tuna, particularly focusing on the levels of a certain substance (likely mercury) and the lobbying efforts of the tuna industry.Here’s a cleaned-up version of the text without the HTML tags:
Industrialists know it and recognize it publicly with their advertisement in which they announce, as if nothing had happened, double their checks next year. This recognition of the fault and the doubling of the tests is a first victory for our campaign, but this remains insufficient, especially since the methods used remain opaque.
Projector on the contradictions of industrialists
Industrialists also publish the result of their 2,927 tests carried out between 2016 and 2023. First striking observation: out of almost 3,000 tuna analyses, a single sample in the protocol of test manufacturers exceeds the standard of 1 mg/kg. This result is incoherent with the intensity of lobbying deployed by manufacturers of the tuna sector since 1993 to keep this threshold at 1 mg/kg. The European Commission also affirms that it is impossible to lower this standard because it would affect industry too much: there is “no margin to further reduce the maximum content […] without considerably disrupting the food supply.”
This text highlights the discrepancies between the industry’s claims, their lobbying efforts, and the actual test results, suggesting that more stringent and transparent testing methods are necessary to ensure consumer safety.
Next step: total transparency
To extinguish the controversy generated by the communication of tuna industrialists and understand the notable difference between the results of Bloom and those of the industrialists of the canned in France, it is indeed necessary to know in all transparency the nature of the protocols implemented to carry out these tests. Bloom has put online the entire detailed methodology used for our own analyzes and awaits similar transparency on the part of industrialists. It will be the only way to understand the hiatus between the analyzes carried out, as according to the methodology chosen, it is indeed possible to obtain results underestimating the real concentration of mercury.
NOTES
(1) https://bloomassociation.org/campagne-mercure/ (link opens in a new tab)
(2) Survey conducted by ipsos in december 2024, with 1,000 participants representative of the French population. To the question “have you changed your tuna consumption since the revelation of its mercury contamination?”, 12% declared that they had stopped buying it, 33% declared having reduced or the intention to reduce their consumption, 28% declared continuing to buy it as before, 15% declared that they were not aware of mercury tuna contamination, and 11% declared never to buy tuna.
(3) the maximum mercury limit for tuna is set at 1 mg/kg for tuna by the European regulation CE 2023/915. for some less contaminated seafood, it is set at 0.3 mg/kg, the general case being 0.5 mg/kg.
(4) interviewed by Agence France Presse
Elevated Mercury Levels in Canned Tuna: A Health Concern
In October 2024, the European Commission’s spokesman delivered a critically important statement regarding the mercury content in tuna. According to the data, there is no room to further reduce the maximum mercury levels in tuna without severely disrupting the food supply. This revelation has sparked considerable concern about the health implications of consuming canned tuna.
mercury in Tuna: The Data
The European Commission’s data indicates that reducing mercury levels in tuna any further would have a substantial impact on the availability of this widely consumed fish. This issue has been extensively covered in various reports and surveys, including those conducted by the Bloom Association.
The “Poison in Tuna” Report
For a deeper understanding, one can refer to chapters 5 and 7 of the Bloom Association’s “poison in tuna” report. This comprehensive document provides detailed insights into the mercury levels found in tuna and their potential health risks. The report is accessible here.
Health Implications
The elevated mercury levels in canned tuna pose a significant health risk. Mercury is a neurotoxin that can cause severe health issues,particularly in vulnerable populations such as pregnant women and children. The French Syndicate of the Portene has also highlighted these concerns in their recent communications.
Summary of Key Findings
To better understand the scope of the issue, here is a summary table of key findings:
| Key Finding | Description |
|————————————–|—————————————————————————–|
| Mercury Levels in Tuna | Data shows no margin to reduce mercury content without disrupting supply. |
| Health Risks | Elevated mercury levels pose significant health risks. |
| Vulnerable Populations | Pregnant women and children are particularly at risk. |
| Accessible Reports | Detailed reports available from the Bloom association. |
Further Reading
For those interested in delving deeper into the subject, the entire survey on mercury in tuna can be found in the Bloom Association’s report “Pisp in tuna,” available here. Additionally, the communication from the French Syndicate of the Portene can be accessed here.
Conclusion
The presence of mercury in tuna is a critical issue that requires immediate attention. While the data suggests that further reduction in mercury levels is not feasible without disrupting the food supply, the health risks associated with current levels are substantial. Consumers and regulatory bodies must work together to find a balanced solution that ensures both food security and public health.
Stay informed and engaged with the latest developments in this ongoing discussion.
Interview with the Editor
Editor: Can you explain the main concerns raised in your recent article about the mercury levels in tuna?
Guest:
Certainly. The main concern revolves around the presence of mercury in tuna, which is a critical issue for consumer health. The article highlights discrepancies between what industrialists claim about their testing results and the actual data from their own tests. Specifically, our investigation uncovered that out of 2,927 tests conducted by these industrialists between 2016 and 2023, onyl one sample exceeded the 1 mg/kg mercury standard. This has prompted questions about the openness and reliability of their testing methods.
Editor: Why do you think industrialists have been lobbying to keep the threshold at 1 mg/kg?
Guest:
Industrialists in the tuna sector have deployed important lobbying efforts since 1993 to maintain the 1 mg/kg threshold.This is likely due to concerns that lowering the standard could disrupt the food supply and increase costs for the industry. However, the European Commission states that lowering this threshold further would be difficult without adversely affecting industry operations.
Editor: How do you interpret the declaration by the industrialists to double their tests?
guest:
The industrialists’ announcement to double their tests next year can be seen as a first step toward addressing the issue. Though, their methods remain opaque, and this action alone is insufficient to fully address the concerns. Transparency in their testing procedures is essential to ensure that the data is reliable and that consumer health is adequately protected.
Editor: What further steps should be taken to resolve this controversy?
Guest:
To resolve this, we need total transparency from the industrialists. They should provide detailed facts on their testing methods and results. Additionally, consumer protection organizations and regulatory bodies must collaborate to find a balanced solution that ensures food security without compromising public health.
Editor: Are there any links or resources where readers can learn more about this issue?
Guest:
Yes, the French Syndicate of the Portene has published detailed information on mercury levels in tuna. Readers can access it [here](https://conservesdepoissons.fr/thon-mercure-faisons-le-point/).
Editor: What are the main takeaways from this discussion?
Guest:
The main takeaways are the necessity for stringent and clear testing methods to ensure consumer safety, the importance of addressing the discrepancies between industry claims and actual data, and the need for collaboration between industry, regulatory bodies, and consumer advocacy groups to find a balanced solution. Mercury in tuna remains a critical issue that requires immediate attention and ongoing dialog.
Conclusion
The presence of mercury in tuna is a critical issue that requires immediate attention.While the data suggests that further reduction in mercury levels is not feasible without disrupting the food supply, the health risks associated with current levels are substantial. Consumers and regulatory bodies must work together to find a balanced solution that ensures both food security and public health.
