Methylmercury in fish, the German warning: risks for pregnancy and childhood

The BfR raises the alarm on methylmercury in fish: risks for pregnancy and childhood, especially with species like tuna and swordfish. But fish remains useful: it is necessary to choose less contaminated varieties and limit their consumption. Methylmercury present in fish can pose a risk to the neurological development of children, especially during pregnancy and breastfeeding. This is reiterated by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), which in a newly updated guide urges attention to the choice of fish species, without, however, giving up the nutritional benefits of fish. What is methylmercury and the health risks Methylmercury is an organic form of mercury that forms naturally in the aquatic environment: some bacteria transform inorganic mercury into this substance, which enters the marine food chain. The accumulation phenomenon is progressive: from phytoplankton to zooplankton, to fish and large predators, the concentration increases at each step. For this ...