Arsenic and mercury in fish in Northern Italy
What it found
In 719 adults in Northern Italy, fish and seafood were the main source of arsenic and mercury in the diet.
Average weekly intakes of both were below the safety limits set by the European Food Safety Authority.
What they found
Studies in people
Intakes below limits
Average weekly intake of both contaminants was below the recommended safety limits. Inorganic mercury and methylmercury intakes were below the tolerable weekly intakes set by the European Food Safety Authority and the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives.
Women higher intake
Women had slightly higher total arsenic intake, due to more fish, and higher total and inorganic mercury intake, due to more fish and vegetables. Inorganic arsenic intake was about the same in men and women.
Other findings
Fish main source
Fish and seafood contributed the most arsenic and mercury to the diet. The highest arsenic levels were in sardine, sole or flounder, and cephalopods like octopus, cuttlefish and squid.
Mercury in big fish
The highest mercury levels were in large predatory fish such as swordfish and both fresh and tinned tuna. Tinned and fresh tuna had similar mercury levels.
Other food sources
Cereals were the second main source of these elements, especially rice for arsenic and bread for mercury. High levels were also found in mushrooms, coffee and wine.
What the authors conclude
“Weekly dietary intake of As and Hg in our population did not appear to exceed the recommended safety limits set by EFSA.”
Also in their conclusions
- They found that fish and seafood contributed the highest levels of arsenic and mercury to the human diet, in agreement with previous studies of people from industrialized nations.
- They report that weekly dietary intake of arsenic and mercury in this population did not appear to exceed the recommended safety limits set by EFSA.
How it was done
Fish is recommended as a source of nutrients, but it can also carry contaminants. The authors wanted to estimate how much arsenic and mercury people in this region take in from food.
They measured arsenic and mercury in foods bought in local markets and canteens, then used a food questionnaire to estimate the diets of 719 people aged 18 to 87 in Northern Italy. They calculated weekly intakes and compared them with European Food Safety Authority safety standards.
What it can’t tell you
- The study estimated intakes from a food questionnaire and food measurements, so it cannot show actual levels in people's bodies.
- It only looked at adults, so the results may not apply to adolescents and children.
- It cannot show whether these intakes cause any health effects.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy; Boston University School of Public Health, USA
The paper
- Title
- Intake of arsenic and mercury from fish and seafood in a Northern Italy community
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Filippini T, Malavolti M, Cilloni S, et al (2018). Intake of arsenic and mercury from fish and seafood in a Northern Italy community. Food and chemical toxicology. doi:10.1016/j.fct.2018.04.010Free full textPubMed 29626577DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error