According to research published in Global Challenges, the basic amino acids found in many foods may be the key to making tuna safer. Scientists have developed a packaging solution that can remove up to 35% of toxic mercury from canned tuna using naturally occurring compound Cysateine.
This discovery offers a potential solution to one of the most enduring problems in seafood safety: how to maintain the nutritional benefits of tuna while reducing mercury exposure, a toxic heavy metal accumulated in fish tissue.
“Our research shows that there are other ways to address mercury pollution in tuna, not just limit consumption,” said Mehdi Abdollahi, associate professor at Chalmers Technical University and project coordinator. “Our goal is to improve food safety and Helps enhance human health and better use of food that is currently under certain restrictions.”
The technique is very simple: add 1.2% cysteine solution to the water-based liquid of tuna. The amino acids act by extracting mercury from fish tissue during storage without additional processing steps or changes to the current manufacturing method.
The World Health Organization lists mercury as one of the ten most harmful chemicals in humans, with particular concerns about its effects on fetuses and young children. This leads to restrictions on tuna consumption, especially for pregnant women.
What makes this approach particularly promising is its simplicity. It does not require complex processing or additives, but uses natural amino acids that are already present in many foods. “The beauty of this packaging is that when the product is on the shelf, it is active. If this method is used industrially, no additional production steps are required.
The researchers found that the mercury reduction process achieved its maximum efficiency within two weeks after packaging, and the results were better when the fish in contact with the solution were more surface area. The highest mercury reduction was achieved by chopped tuna – 35%, although it was also significantly reduced throughout the component.
Importantly, cell-based safety tests did not show the effects of treatment, and the researchers reported no significant changes in the appearance or odor of the fish. The study evaluates various forms of tuna, from fresh fillets to commercial canned products, consistently demonstrating the effectiveness of the technology.
This study is crucial as concerns about mercury pollution continue to limit consumption of tuna, which is also a protein-rich food and an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients. While current safety guidelines focus on limiting consumption, this development proposes a way to make the gold gun inherently safer.
The next challenge for researchers is to develop methods to safely deal with mercury-containing solutions. Although the current research focuses on demonstrating the effectiveness of the concept, future work will require addressing the full life cycle of extracted mercury to ensure environmental safety.
This development could represent how we deal with a major shift in food safety, from simply warning consumers about the risks of contamination to actively reducing these risks with smart packaging solutions.
If you find this piece useful, consider supporting our work with a one-time or monthly donation. Your contribution allows us to continue to bring you accurate, thought-provoking scientific and medical news that you can trust. Independent reporting requires time, effort, and resources, and your support makes it possible for us to continue exploring stories that are important to you. Together, we can ensure that important discoveries and developments attract those who need them the most.
