Contenuto di metilmercurio in pesce spada, tonni e selacei : stima dell’esposizione sul consumatore italiano

Thanks to a revision of the literature of the period 2000-2013 the mean concentration of methylmercury was obtained in fish species known for their high concentration of the metal such as swordfish (Xiphias gladius), tuna (Thunnus thynnus and Thunnus albacares) and sharks (Prionace glauca, Mustelus mustelus, Isurus oxyrinchus). On the basis of the mean consumption of these species and considering the origin of the fish, the exposure of Italian men and women to methylmercury and the contribution to the Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake, were estimated. The species caught in the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean were proved to be the major contributors of methylmercury if compared to those caught in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. A correct information for consumers is needed, especially for those belonging to the target populations such as children, pregnant or nursing women, and women of a childbearing age. The consumption of red tuna, swordfish and shark should be limited for these people.