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For a long time it was assumed and
now it is certain: Shark meat is poisonous!! By a new method of analysis, patented
by Professor Klaus Heumann of the University of Mainz (Germany), alarming concentrations
of methyl mercury were found in shark steaks.
A study - given by the shark protection organization Sharkproject - proved that
there is up to 1400 microgram of methyl mercury per kilogram blue shark steak.
These are 420 microgram of methyl mercury in a normal 300 gram shark steak portion
and this is 60 times more than a 70 kg heavy consumer per day may have.
The danger value is 0.1 microgram per kilogram body weight and day. This value
was specified by EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) in a toxicologist committee
and is considered as new international standard. A consumer might take only
5 gram blue shark steak or 12.7 gram of smoked rock salmon (smoked dogfish)
per day. Each higher dose can have serious consequences.
Methyl mercury is most dangerous for the human body. Toxicologist Dr. Hermann
Kruse of the University of Kiel (Germany) explains why: "It is one of the
biologically most active and most dangerous poisons for humans. In addition
methyl mercury is a "Trojan horse" which can pass easily each protection
barrier as to the separation mechanism between the blood circulation of a mother
and her unborn child as well as the blood-brain barrier of each adult.
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The consequences of
such a poisoning are for an infant mental development disturbances and for an
adult eavy damage to the central nervous system. These express themselves by
headache, memory difficulties or depressions." Besides kidney damages,
cancer and massive damages of the brain threatens.
Who thinks that a smoked rock salmon (smoked dogfish) or a small blue shark
steak from the food discounter now and then is not precarious is wrong because
the half-life of methyl mercury is high. The human organism needs 60 to 80 days
to halve the poison concentration in the body.
But not only sharks are affected by this heavy metal load. The same applies
to all large predatory fish who take up the poison over their natural food chain.
For example also tuna and swordfish count for this.
The management of the German fish restaurant chain North Sea already reacted
to the arguments of the animal conservationist organization and wants to go
completely without any shark products. These results also would have to alarm
now the food branch and the Ministries of Health.
Best would be if everyone stopped immediately buying and consuming all kind
of shark products and stopped the consumption of tuna and swordfish.
(Source: "Tauchen"-Magazine and Sharkproject)
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