What is albacore tuna?
Thunnus (Thunnus) alalunga is a species of the Thunnus subgenus. (1)
Thunnus (Thunnus) alalunga is also known as Albacore tuna, or longfin tuna. (1)
There are 6 distinct stocks known globally in the Atlantic ocean, Pacific ocean, and Indian oceans, as well as the Mediterranean Sea. (2)
What does albacore tuna eat?
fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods (2)
Methylmercury
Albacore accumulate methylmercury in their body tissue over time. (2)
Ranging from as low as 0.027 ppm (parts per million) to 0.26 ppm, the average total mercury content of albacore is 0.14 ± 0.05 ppm. (2)
Larger fish tend to bioaccumulate higher methylmercury levels. (2)
Albacore caught by the American albacore fishing fleet off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California have far lower mercury levels than in previous years. (2)
Nevertheless, since mercury does take time to be removed from the body, albacore tuna should be eaten in moderation.
Albacore and Humans
The EPA recommends the eat albacore only a few times per month. (3)
Resources
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunnus_(subgenus)
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albacore
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_in_fish#/media/File:MercuryFoodChain.svg
