The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has completed a survey that reveals that there are relatively high levels of mercury in the three types of fish. The mercury comes from a combination of both natural and man-made sources, a FSA spokesperson told edie, and are not confined to any region in particular.
Occasional consumption of shark, swordfish or marlin as part of a balanced diet by other adults is unlikely to result in harmful effects, says the FSA. However, as a precaution, the Agency advises that people should eat no more than one portion each week.
Last year, the US Government warned that one in ten women of child-bearing age are at risk of having children with neurological problems due to mercury poisoning (see related story).