Urgent health warning over tins of tuna sold in UK as they pose 'colossal risk'

Experts have issued a stark warning after findings showed tins of tuna sold in the UK may carry dangerous levels of toxic metal. A study involving 150 cans purchased across France, Italy, Spain, Germany, and Britain revealed "contamination" with methylmercury.

This substance poses significant risk to pregnant women and children and is associated with cancer and serious neurological and lung damage.

Karine Jacquemart, the CEO of Foodwatch France, which co-conducted the investigation, has warned: "What we end up with on our dinner plates is a colossal risk to public health that's not considered seriously. We won't give up until we have a more protective European standard."

Current EU and UK mercury regulations allow for a maximum of 1 mg/kg in tuna and 0.3 mg/kg in other fish such as cod. However, this comprehensive study by Foodwatch and the Paris-based NGO Bloom, found mercury in all 148 tins tested, with 57 per cent surpassing the 0.3 mg/kg threshold.

The most alarming case was a tin purchased at a Paris Carrefour City store with a record 3.9 mg/kg of mercury – thirteen times over the allowable limit. In response to these findings, Bloom and Foodwatch are now calling on European nations to "activate a safeguard clause" to immediately stop the sale and promotion of products containing mercury levels above the 0.3mg/kg benchmark, as reported by the Mirror, reports Surrey Live.

There has been a call for an outright ban on "all products" containing tuna from educational and health institutions like school canteens, nurseries, maternity wards, hospitals, and care homes. Europeans on average consume more than 2.8 kilograms of tuna each year, which is the equivalent of around 25 cans.

About four-fifths of mercury emissions