title: Heavy metals in marine fish meat and consumer health: a review.
abstract: The numerous health benefits provided by fish consumption may be compromised by the presence of toxic metals and metalloids such as lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury, which can have harmful effects on the human body if consumed in toxic quantities. The monitoring of metal concentrations in fish meat is therefore important to ensure compliance with food safety regulations and consequent consumer protection. The toxicity of these metals may be dependent on their chemical forms, which requires metal speciation processes for direct measurement of toxic metal species or the identification of prediction models in order to determine toxic metal forms from measured total metal concentrations. This review addresses various shortcomings in current knowledge and research on the accumulation of metal contaminants in commercially consumed marine fish globally and particularly in South Africa, affecting both the fishing industry as well as fish consumers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa.|Department of Animal Sciences, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa.
authors.forename: Adina C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Bosch
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa.
authors.forename: Bernadette
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa.
authors.forename: Gunnar O
authors.initials: GO
authors.lastname: Sigge
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa.|Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Private Bag X2, Rogge Bay, 8012, South Africa.
authors.forename: Sven E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Kerwath
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland, 7602, South Africa.
authors.forename: Louwrens C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Hoffman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D005399:Fishes; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D000075322:Heavy Metal Poisoning; D006801:Humans; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D011041:Poisoning / Q000209:etiology; D017747:Seafood / Q000032:analysis*; D013019:South Africa; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: PTWI; consumer health; fish muscle; heavy metals; maximum allowable limits; metal speciation