shark


Researchers at the International Shark Conference in Durban warned against eating shark meat, as it contains high levels of chemical poison and toxic metals.


Jane Gilbert of Southern Cross University in Australia said in a study she presented during the conference entitled "Eating shark meat may cause death" that 3 samples of meat from several types of sharks contained high levels of arsenic, mercury and other toxic compounds.


She added that 273 million sharks are killed annually around the world, and that a large proportion of them go to the market, in addition to being used for direct or indirect human consumption.


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Gilbert's study was based on toxic metals found in dark sharks and white sand sharks, which are often found in southeastern Australia.


The study showed that mercury levels in two of these predatory species are 10 times higher than the safety levels recommended by the Food Standards Authority in Australia and New Zealand, in addition to arsenic contamination, as some sharks contain high concentrations of arsenic, which contradicts recommendations related to safety. .


Gilbert stressed that high levels of mercury can damage the brains of babies in the mother's womb, as she advised pregnant women not to eat shark meat.

For his part, Judge Leon of the University of Calgary said that the bodies of predators such as sharks are susceptible to the accumulation of chemical toxins, which humans dispose of along the coasts opposite large cities and agricultural areas, where some of these toxic chemicals are passed, including the DDT and PCBs are added to fish, which increases the risk of consumption of their meat.

Data indicate that shark meat is widely consumed in Asia, at a time when it has been noted that it may not be healthy enough for humans, as it carries high concentrations of toxins associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.