In Australia, you can generally eat 2-3 serves (around 200-300g) of canned tuna per week, even for pregnant women, as it's usually made from smaller, lower-mercury species like skipjack and yellowfin, caught young. While you could technically eat a small can daily if it's the only fish, moderation is key; aim for 2-3 servings weekly as part of a varied diet, checking labels for added sugar/salt.
Canned tuna & salmon
It's generally safe for all population groups, including pregnant women, to consume 2-3 serves of any type of tuna or salmon a week, canned or fresh.
How much depends on the type of tuna you eat. Canned light tuna contains the least amount of mercury, and the FDA suggests limiting yourself to no more than 12 ounces (oz) a week, or no more than three 5-oz cans.
The concerns around daily intake stem from its mercury content. However, according to the NHS, which states a healthy, balanced diet should include at least two portions of fish a week, there's nothing there to say you can't eat tuna every day, unless you're trying for a baby, or pregnant.
A portion is around 140g. Tuna: if you are trying for a baby or are pregnant, you should have no more than 4 cans of tuna a week or no more than 2 tuna steaks a week. This is because tuna contains higher levels of mercury than other fish. If you are breastfeeding, there is no limit on how much tuna you can eat.
An average tuna fish contains about 0.391 ppm (or 0.391 mg/kg) of mercury. The maximum permitted amount of mercury in tuna in most countries is 1.0 ppm. Evidently, these levels do not differ greatly, but chances of mercury poisoning are still small.
In more severe cases, symptoms such as bronchospasm, respiratory failure, and low blood pressure may be present (vasodilatory shock). Patients with tuna poisoning have symptoms such as diarrhea and abdominal pain.
Canned tuna is the only seafood in some people's diets. So that's why mercury contamination is such a concern in this particular fish. Mercury is a known neurotoxin. Too much of it is harmful to children, whose bodies and brains are still growing.
The healthiest canned tuna is typically chunk light skipjack packed in water, due to lower mercury levels and fewer calories than albacore, but for maximum omega-3s, opt for pole-and-line caught albacore (in moderation due to mercury). Look for "no salt added" for sodium control, sustainable sourcing (pole-and-line/FAD-free), and brands that test for mercury (like Safe Catch or Wild Planet https://www.asweetpea).
Like most foods, it's okay to eat tuna in moderation. “According to the FDA, the average adult can safely eat about six to nine ounces of tuna per week,” says Dr. O'Neill. “That typically works out to one to two cans, depending on the size.”
If you're counting calories and maximizing omega-3 fatty acids, then tuna in water might make a great choice. On the other hand, if moisture, flavor, and vitamin D levels are your focus, then olive oil-packed tuna might be better. Whatever tuna you choose, it's important not to go overboard for this mild-flavored fish.
If you're concerned about limiting the amount of mercury you consume, and if you've eaten no other fish during the week, Consumer Reports says up to 12 ounces a week of Bumble Bee Chunk Light, Chicken of the Sea Chunk Light, Safe Catch Wild Elite, and StarKist Chunk Light tunas are the safer choices among the products ...
Canned tuna generally has lower levels of mercury than tuna fillets because smaller tuna species are used and the tuna are generally younger when caught. Canned tuna and a variety of other types of non-canned tuna can be consumed according to the recommendations in the Australian Dietary Guidelines.
Fsanz has calculated that it is safe for all population groups to consume a snack can of tuna (95 grams) everyday, assuming no other flsh is eaten.
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Some tuna cans that say do not drain because they don't add oil, water, fillers, preservatives, and GMO soy broth. Cans that say do not drain contain only tuna or sometimes salmon. They only have natural occurring fish oils and juices and those are rich in omega threes.
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Those aged 4-7 can safely have four ounces, children 8-10 can have six ounces, and those 11 and up can have up to eight ounces. Pregnant people (or those that may become pregnant) and anyone breastfeeding can safely consume two to three servings of canned light tuna per week.
Symptoms of organic mercury poisoning from long-term exposure include:
The traditional treatment for mercury poisoning is to stop all exposures. In many cases, chelation therapy is also used. This involves giving a medication (the chelator) which goes into the body and grabs the metal (chelos is the Greek word for claw) then carries the metal out of the body, usually into the urine.
Canned tuna is a nutritious, budget-friendly staple packed with protein and omega-3s, but it should be consumed in moderation due to the risk of mercury buildup over time. Light or skipjack tuna has lower mercury levels and can be eaten more frequently than albacore.
You would have to eat around 25 tins (at 95g a tin) of it a week before you hit the maximum tolerable intake of mercury. For pregnant people (or people trying to get pregnant), the limit would be around 12 tins (at 95g a tin) a week. It is unlikely many consumers will reach these limits.
To limit mercury intake from tuna, here are the guidelines: Best choice: Eat 2 to 3 servings per week of canned light skipjack tuna. Good choice: Eat 1 serving per week of yellowfin tuna or white albacore tuna. Choice to avoid: Don't eat bigeye tuna.
Researchers from Chalmers University of Technology have come up with a novel approach to packaging canned tuna infused in the water-based solution of amino acid cysteine. It was shown to remove up to 35 percent of the accumulated mercury in canned tuna, significantly reducing human exposure to mercury via food.