Experts warn about mercury levels in tinned tuna sold in the UK

Recent tests on tinned tuna in the UK revealed that half of the samples contained mercury levels above recommended limits. This raises concerns about the safety of consuming tinned tuna, especially for vulnerable groups like pregnant women. The NHS advises limiting tuna intake to two steaks or four tins per week for pregnant women. For the general population, experts suggest that eating two to three servings of light tuna weekly is safe, as it typically has lower mercury levels. Under UK law, the mercury limit in tuna is set at 1 mg/kg. While all fish contain some mercury, species like cod can be consumed more freely due to lower levels. Pregnant women should avoid high-mercury fish like shark and swordfish.