Bae Seong-Jin, Shin Kyu-Sik, Park Chulyong, Baek Kiook, Son So-Young, Sakong Joon
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Yeungnam University Hospital, Daegu, Korea.
Graduate School of Environment & Public Health Studies, Yeungnam University, Daegu, Korea.
Ann Occup Environ Med. 2023 Feb 9;35:e3. doi: 10.35371/aoem.2023.35.e3. eCollection 2023.
Studies on the risk of mercury (Hg) in Korean fishery products focus primarily on total Hg levels as opposed to methylmercury (MeHg) levels. None of the few studies on MeHg in tuna investigated tuna from Japanese restaurants. Few have evaluated lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) in tuna. Thus, this study aimed to conduct a risk assessment by evaluating heavy metal concentrations in tuna from Japanese restaurants.
Thirty-one tuna samples were collected from Japanese restaurants in the Republic of Korea. They were classified according to region and species. The concentration of heavy metals in the samples was analyzed using the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety Food Code method. The rate of exceedance of maximum residue levels (MRLs) and the risk compared to the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) set by the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives (%PTWI) were evaluated for risk assessment.
The mean of MeHg, Pb, Cd and As concentrations were 0.56 ± 1.47 mg/kg, 33.95 ± 3.74 μg/kg, 14.25 ± 2.19 μg/kg and 1.46 ± 1.89 mg/kg, respectively. No sample exceeded the MRLs of Pb and Cd, but 9.7% of the samples exceeded the MRL of MeHg. The %PTWIs of MeHg, Pb, Cd and As were 4.2037, 0.0162, 0.0244 and 1.1627, respectively. The %PTWI of MeHg by age group and sex was highest among men aged 19-29 years (10.6494), followed by men aged 30-49 years (7.2458) and women aged 19-29 years (4.8307).
We found that 3 out of 31 samples exceeded the MRL of MeHg. The %PTWI of MeHg showed significant differences based on age and sex, and the value was likely to exceed a safe level depending on individuals' eating behaviors. Therefore, improved risk management for MeHg is required.
韩国渔业产品中汞（Hg）风险的研究主要集中在总汞水平而非甲基汞（MeHg）水平。少数关于金枪鱼中甲基汞的研究均未调查来自日本餐馆的金枪鱼。很少有研究评估金枪鱼中的铅（Pb）、镉（Cd）和砷（As）。因此，本研究旨在通过评估来自日本餐馆的金枪鱼中的重金属浓度进行风险评估。
从大韩民国的日本餐馆收集了31份金枪鱼样本。它们根据地区和种类进行分类。使用食品药品安全部食品法典方法分析样本中的重金属浓度。评估最大残留限量（MRLs）的超标率以及与食品添加剂联合专家委员会设定的暂定每周耐受摄入量（PTWI）相比的风险（%PTWI）以进行风险评估。
甲基汞、铅、镉和砷浓度的平均值分别为0.56±1.47毫克/千克、33.95±3.74微克/千克、14.25±2.19微克/千克和1.46±1.89毫克/千克。没有样本超过铅和镉的最大残留限量，但9.7%的样本超过了甲基汞的最大残留限量。甲基汞、铅、镉和砷的%PTWI分别为4.2037、0.0162、0.0244和1.1627。按年龄组和性别划分，甲基汞的%PTWI在19 - 29岁男性中最高（10.6494），其次是30 - 49岁男性（7.2458）和19 - 29岁女性（4.8307）。
我们发现31个样本中有3个超过了甲基汞的最大残留限量。甲基汞的%PTWI因年龄和性别存在显著差异，根据个人饮食行为，该值可能超过安全水平。因此，需要改进甲基汞的风险管理。
