Spanish researchers have detected worrying mercury concentrations in a fish widely consumed in the Mediterranean and present in various traditional recipes of the Iberian Peninsula. The study was published in July in Marine Pollition Bulletin magazine, and quoted by the Spanish digital newspaper HuffPost.
Data that worries experts
The investigation evaluated biological, environmental and human factors, concluding that the largest specimens, as well as those captured on the coast of Catalonia, had higher concentrations of mercury.
This heavy metal is highly toxic to marine ecosystems as well as human health, leading scientists to defend the inclusion of specific consumption limits by species in food risk analyzes.
A typical dish at risk
In Andalusia, Pintarroja (Scylorhinus canicula) is still much appreciated, especially in the traditional plate “Caldillo de Pintarroja”, according to the same source. However, researchers warn that frequent consumption of this species can pose health risks, especially in regions where it is part of daily food.
Caution in consumption
Elena Lloret, ICM-CSic researcher and the study’s lead author, cited by the same source, stressed that “more specific data on consumer habits are needed to get more accurate results.”
Despite this caveat, the warning is clear about the need for precaution in ingestion of this fish, especially when consumed regularly.
Situation in Portugal
Although more common in Spain, this fish a lot consumed in the Mediterranean is also present in Portugal, where it appears in markets under names such as “small cation” or “gato fish”. In some cases, it is used in boilers and fish soups, but its consumption is residual when compared to other species, refers to the same source.
Pintarroja inhabits sandy and deep zones of the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Although resistant, it is vulnerable to overfill due to slow growth.
Like other species of depth, it accumulates heavy metals throughout life, which makes the regular monitoring of their contamination levels essential.
A warning that goes beyond a species
The study, quoted by, reinforces the need to watch the presence of mercury in different species consumed in southern Europe. In addition to Pintarroja, other varieties of deep fish can accumulate this toxic metal, raising public health concerns and requiring greater rigor in the evaluation of food risks.
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