Paris and six other cities of France their decision to prohibit the tuna and other food products made from this in the school menu, pointing out a potential risk to the health of minors.
The measure was taken despite the fact that national regulations French and the European does not contemplate prohibitions against the consumption of said fish, which in its usual presentations complies with the parameters of the law; However, local authorities argue that the resolution is due to the need to apply the “precautionary principle.”
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“European regulation is not sufficiently protective for health, especially for children,” said Charlotte Brun, vice president of the Lille Metropolitan City Council, France Info.
In addition to Paris and Lille, other locations that have joined the prohibition have been Lyon, Grenoble, Montpellier and Rennes.
(Photo: Getty images)
According to EFE, the governments of these cities are headed by left -wing groups and commissioned a study in which 148 canned tuna cans were taken randomly as a sample, being in more than half of these a concentration of 0.3 milligrams of mercury per kilogram. This margin is considered the limit for other fish consumed in this presentation.
The news was received with rejection by canned food producers not only from France, but also from neighboring Spain. Tuna suppliers indicate that they comply with the regulations and that the tax limits are not arbitrary, in addition to considering the study of the French communes limited.
“It is surprising that the public authority, that French public health does not stop these types of situations and are given little founded statements that promote alarmism,” Roberto Alonso, president of the National Association of Manufacturers of Can and Transformed Products of Fish and Seafood of Spain, told Efe.
El Mercurio, source of the discussion
WHO points out that Mercury is one of the ten most worrisome chemicals for public health and has great impact on nervous, digestive and immune systems.
Claudia Agüeronutritionist specialized in overweight and member of the Association of Natural Nutrition Professional Cannp, indicates that mercury consumption is related to problems such as anemia because it is a limitation for iron assimilation, among other factors.
“What happens is that mercury is a heavy metal, so it is very difficult to expel from our body. This prevents other minerals such as iron can be absorbed well in the body and there arises the public health problem,” explains the specialist to El Comercio.
“For example, in Canada, which is where I reside, pregnant women are recommended to consumption of a maximum of a week, because they are the most likely to have anemia for their condition. In fact, in supermarkets you can see the tuna cans with a warning message about this,” adds Agüero.
Pregnant women are a group vulnerable to mercury consumption. (Photo: Mart Production / Pexels)
The nutritionist clarifies that these types of recommendations only point to tuna, but not other fish in similar presentations. As in the case cited by French communes, usual consumption fish such as anchovy or cod have lower mercury levels.
The consumption of tuna in children follows similar guidelines to those of pregnant women, because iron remains crucial for child development.
“A direct relationship has been seen in the increase in anemia in children and this affects its growth in an exponential way. We speak from height to brain development, which Iron just needs,” says Agüero.
Despite the above, it is not that the consumption of tuna must necessarily be eradicated, but limited, particularly among vulnerable groups such as pregnant women, children under five and also older adults.
“They are the vulnerable population in principle because their consumption of several nutrients is limited. A small child is just learning to eat and many do not consume a large variety of foods, but their own growth and development make them need more nutrients and if we add to this that they consume daily mercury we are limiting their growth,” explains the dietitian.
“In the case of pregnant women, they often have problems digest Add Agüero.
The nutrition expert indicates that the consumption of canned tuna should not go from a can a week, or two maximum. In the latter case, the intake must be spaced in a minimum range of about three days.
Protein sources such as other fish, eggs and meats such as pork are tuna alternatives, according to the nutritionist. In the case of vegetable diets, you are quite good options too.
