High mercury levels have reportedly been found in canned tuna samples from top selling brands. As reported by HealthDay News, the results showed that of over 300 samples tested, 55 percent contained mercury levels that were higher than safety levels outlined by the EPA.

Shawn Gerstenberger, author of the study, is quoted in the report as stating in a news release of the University of Nevada Las Vegas, “Canned tuna accounts for up to a quarter of the nation’s seafood consumption and creates some significant regulatory challenges… With pregnant women and children the most susceptible to mercury poisoning — yet also among the top consumers of canned tuna — federal agencies need to urge distributors to expressly state mercury levels in their products.”

More information about the study may be found in the February publication of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry.