EFSA CONTAM 2012 — Mercury and Methylmercury in Food
Summary
The EFSA CONTAM Panel Scientific Opinion on Mercury and Methylmercury in Food (December 2012, EFSA Journal 2012;10(12):2985) re-evaluated the prior JECFA tolerable weekly intakes for inorganic mercury (4 µg/kg b.w./week) and methylmercury (1.6 µg/kg b.w./week) in light of new epidemiological evidence. The Panel maintained the inorganic mercury TWI at 4 µg/kg b.w./week, expressed as Hg, but lowered the methylmercury TWI to 1.3 µg/kg b.w./week, expressed as Hg. The methylmercury revision was driven by Faroe Islands and Seychelles cohort data, with adjustment for the protective n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid coefficients in fish. Mean dietary methylmercury exposure across European age groups does not exceed the TWI except for toddlers and other children in some surveys; 95th-percentile dietary exposure is close to or above the TWI for all age groups. High fish consumers can substantially exceed the TWI.
Key numbers
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| TWI for inorganic mercury (maintained from JECFA) | 4 µg Hg/kg b.w./week |
| TWI for methylmercury (lowered from 1.6) | 1.3 µg Hg/kg b.w./week |
| Critical endpoint, methylmercury | Developmental neurotoxicity (in utero through maternal seafood) |
| Critical endpoint, inorganic mercury | Renal effects |
| Adjustment introduced | Protective coefficient for n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish |
| Population most exposed | High fish consumers; toddlers and children at 95th percentile |