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As if there wasn't already a reason to avoid canned tuna, Consumer Reports latest tests from the New York Metropolitan area has confirmed that white-albacore tuna may contain up to twice as much Mercury as light tuna.

The study, which only further confirms that canned tuna is the “most common source of Mercury” in the American diet, also contains a more cautious approach for expectant mothers and small children. According to Dr. Urvashi Rangan, the director of technical policy at Consumer's Union, “Canned tuna, especially whit, tends to be high in Mercury, and younger women and children should limit how much they eat. As a precaution, pregnant women should avoid tuna entirely.”

The main cause culprit is the bioaccumulation of methyl-mercury in tuna, which is an especially toxic form of Mercury that is “released by coal-fired power plants and other industrial or natural sources,” according to underwatertimes.com. The real problem occurs when the substance builds up in the human body over prolonged periods of time, possibly causing neurological and cardiovascular diseases. If these are the consequences found in grown human beings, imagine what the mercury is doing to fish populations.