Cysteine key to lowering mercury in tuna – new technology increases food safety

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Scientists have discovered a simple method to reduce mercury levels in tuna, which could reduce the risk of poisoning by this harmful substance. An experiment conducted by researchers from Chalmers University of Technology showed that adding cysteine to the fish during packaging can remove 25 to 35 percent of the mercury. Although the technology requires further research, it has the potential to revolutionize food production.

A research team from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Chalmers University of Technology has discovered that immersing tuna in water with cysteine can remove a significant amount of mercury from the fish. Laboratory tests have shown that the technology can reduce mercury levels by 25 to 35 percent. Cysteine works on mercury in a way that allows it to be removed from the fish, reducing the risk of poisoning.

- We believed that this would allow some of the mercury to be extracted, which would instead bind to the solution and be discarded, says Przemysław Strachowski, a chemist at Chalmers University of Technology.

For those who eat fish, the risk of mercury is unlikely, especially if they don’t eat too much. However, pregnant women and young children should be careful and limit the amount of fish they eat. The health benefits of eating fish – especially in a Mediterranean diet – still outweigh the risks, but this method may allow for additional risk reduction.

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The new technology is simple and can be adopted in the fish packaging process without the need for additional production processes.

- The beauty of this type of packaging is that it is active while the product is on the shelf, Strachowski adds. This means that this type of packaging can effectively improve food safety by minimizing the risk of mercury poisoning.

Despite the promising results, the researchers note that the technology requires further research and development to become a practical solution on a large scale.

= Our research shows that there are alternative approaches to solving the problem of mercury contamination in tuna, rather than just limiting its consumption, emphasizes Mehdi Abdollahi, a food scientist at Chalmers University of Technology.

The team of scientists believes this technology has the potential to improve food safety and contribute to better use of fish that currently face certain restrictions.