Sushi in Chicago restaurants high in mercury

Tuna at the sushi bars in Chicago is so full of mercury that one serving is as much as a woman or child should be exposed to in a month. And one serving in seven has such high mercury content that a woman or child should never eat it.

The problem came to light when the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency tested tuna samples from 20 sushi bars in Chicago. They found that 14 – or 70 per cent – had unacceptably high levels of mercury.

Illinois is thought to be particularly bad for mercury levels because of the coal-burning power plants in the state, and the improper disposal of waste that contains mercury.

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, 2006; 281: 23-4

Steve - this was reported last year in several local papers. We put this in as an "in case you missed it."