Tuna: Everyone is saying same thing after health warning about tinned staple

Traces of methylmercury, which is particularly dangerous for pregnant women and children, were found in nearly all tins of tuna purchased in France, Italy, Spain, Germany and Britain, in the study

Shoppers have admitted they've "thrown away" tins of tuna and are "scared" following a warning some cans contain a toxic metal.

Brits reacted with concern to the research which found nearly all of the 150 cans purchased in France, Italy, Spain, Germany and Britain "were contaminated with mercury". Scientists at Foodwatch France and NGO Bloom released a damning report on Thursday after carrying out the study.

Expressing their worry on social media, shoppers said they intend to reduce the amount of tinned tuna they now eat. Some even claimed they had disposed of cans, or they intended to do so. One said: "I will throw my tins away then." Another replied to this Facebook comment with: "I would. It (the report) states they are being removed (from supermarkets)."

A further internet user stated: "I eat on average 2-3 cans of tuna a week and I'm going to stop." Another stated: "It is quite scary to read this." One post reads: "The NHS website even advises to minimise tinned tuna intake."

The research alludes to the link between methylmercury and cancer. In very high doses, studies have found that some forms of mercury have triggered the development in several types of tumours in rats and mice.

And World Health Organisation says pregnant women and children are particularly vulnerable to high levels of methylmercury, expose to which can also damage the kidneys and nervous system, trigger issues with vision and raise the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The average European consumes over 2.8 kilos of tuna per year, or roughly 25 cans. Around four-fifths of the mercury put into the atmosphere from natural and human causes, such as burning coal, ends up in the ocean where some is converted by tiny organisms to a toxic compound known as methylmercury.

This methylmercury works its way up the food chain and accumulates in top predators in high concentrations. As tuna — and other predators or longer-living species like sharks or swordfish — are higher up the food chain, they eat smaller fish and accumulate more mercury over time.

Although people on social media are saying the same thing, doctors have in the past stated eating tuna in moderate quantity is fine, as long as it is part of a balanced diet.