New research from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) suggests that European consumers are eating more seafood with higher-than-average mercury content than government bodies recommend, and that such advice had limited influence.
The survey, which was conducted at the behest of the European Commission, found that 20 percent of respondents eat fish that contain the highest maximum levels for mercury contamination three or more times per week, despite most E.U. authorities recommending just 1 or 2 portions per week.
However, the researchers cautioned that they were uncertain about the representativeness of the survey. The first survey was conducted in 2023 across all 27 E.U. member states, along with Iceland and Norway. A second survey was conducted in 2024 across 10 countries that had updated their mercury advice, and five countries that had not. The surveys also sampled a higher number of pregnant individuals due to the risks mercury could pose during pregnancy. In total, 22,625 interviews were conducted.
Though the responses indicate that European consumers are aware of the recommendations of government health agencies regarding seafood consumption, EFSA Scientific Committee member Angela Bearth noted that other factors impact their decision-making process.
“While many consumers indicated in the survey that they had heard of the advice in their country and that they take it into account in their food choices, other factors such as taste, cost, and desire for a healthy diet drive changes in dietary habits more,” Bearth said in a release. “This is a common phenomenon where survey respondents say one thing, but their behavior indicates that other factors need taking into account.”
The report concluded that national advice had “limited influence” on consumers’ dietary behavior.
The analysis found that awareness of chemical contaminants was “generally low,” although pregnant women were slightly more aware of national advice on contaminants.
“Overall, more consumers (some 5 in 10) knew about health benefits than health risks (about 1 in 10), but mercury was the most widely recognized contaminant in these foods. The findings are consistent with past studies exploring this topic in European countries,” Bearth said.
