SUMMARY
Inefficacy of cooking methods on mercury reduction from shark
Shark and other carnivorous fishes present high potential risk of excessive contamination by mercury. The distribution of mercury throughout the body of blue shark - Prionace glauca - was analysed, and the effects on mercury levels by frying and baking in a laboratory oven, and in a microwave oven, were measured. There was no significant statistical difference in mercury levels in the samples taken from regions near the head, or from central and tail parts, indicating homogeneous distribution of the metal in muscles throughout the body. Frying and baking did not affect original mercury levels present in blue shark. This study indicates that specific studies are needed to define the efficacy or inefficacy of the cooking methods on mercury reduction from fish, in order to clearly resolve divergent opinions in the literature.

Key words: Shark, fish, mercury, frying, baking, cooking.



Recibido: 16/11/2000
Aceptado: 11/04/2001

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