California sues food companies over mercury levels in canned tuna

California's attorney general sued three of the nation's biggest canned tuna companies Monday, alleging they failed to warn consumers of excessive mercury in their products. The defendants in the San Francisco Superior Court lawsuit are Tri-Union Seafoods, maker of Chicken of the Sea; Del Monte, maker of Starkist; and Bumble Bee Seafoods, maker of Bumble Bee.

Attorney General Bill Lockyer's office said tests of the companies' albacore and light tuna products found mercury at levels that, under state regulations, require warnings to consumers. Research has shown that excessive exposure to mercury can cause serious health problems, especially in pregnant women and children.

In addition to civil penalties, the lawsuit seeks to stop the companies from selling their products in California unless they provide warnings on labels or signs posted in grocery aisles.

The U.S. Tuna Foundation said it "strongly disagrees" with the attorney general and plans to demonstrate in court that its products are safe. "This suit is not grounded in science and will needlessly scare consumers away from affordable foods that are good for them," David Burney, USTF's executive director, said in a statement.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/06/21/national2208EDT0765.DTL

I bought a six-pack of this not long ago. I called up Costco and asked them if it had been tested for mercury levels and they said yes, it had been and that it was safe.

I wonder if this is believable? Any clues appreciated.

Pretty soon we won't be able to eat anything anymore. Mad cow, poultry influenza, toxic levels of mercury in fish, GMO'd food from here to hell and back.

It isn't safe anywhere.

Organic labels soon to be a thing of the past.

We'll soon not known what we are eating.

Soylent green is upon us!!!

:dem: :kick:

thought they would do that,
lol
That is scary though ........... The environement is going to hell under Bush Admin.

don't forget that * has mice test food before he eats anywhere! Paranoid big time! He doesn't have anything to worry about, does he!?

nothing is safe. Recently I have done away with cheese, milk, (unless it is in desserts) and cut down tremendously on eggs.

And clean air to breath... um, wait; never mind.

Pretty soon we're all going to be Jain's in reverse: refusing to kill anything in fear that consuming it will kill us. Oh, the irony!