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Article: Is selenium a mercury antidote? Scientists say seafood may contain a natural neutralizer of this toxin.(Seafood FAQ)
- Article from:
- Seafood Business
- Article date:
- October 1, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Diversified Publications. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Few consumers, or even seafood professionals, know that seafood is a rich source of selenium, a mineral that some scientists say counteracts the harmful neurotoxin methylmercury found in some species of fish.
Other experts disagree that selenium is the antidote to mercury, and the two viewpoints clashed during the Eighth International Conference on Mercury as a Global Pollutant (Mercury 2006), held in Madison, Wisc., from Aug. 6 through 11. The consensus: Further studies on selenium and mercury are necessary for a full understanding of how the two interact.
There is little doubt that exposure to mercury is harmful to human health. The issue took center ...