| METHYLMERCURY | |
| See: | MERCURY | Functional class: | CONTAMINANT | Latest evaluation: | 2003 |
| Tolerable Intake: | PTWI 0.0016 mg/kg bw | Comments: | The Committee reaffirmed its position that fish is an important part of a balanced nutritious diet and that this has to be appropriately considered in public health decisions when setting limits for methylmercury concentrations in fish. | Report: | TRS 922-JECFA 61/132 | Tox monograph: | FAS 52-JECFA 61/565 | Previous status: | 1999, TRS 896-JECFA 53/87, FAS 44-JECFA 53/313. THE PTWI OF 0.0033 mg/kg bw WAS MAINTAINED AT THE FIFTY-THIRD MEETING (1999). THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE WAS INSUFFICIENT TO EVALUATE NEURODEVELOPMENTAL EFFECTS ON THE CHILDREN OF MOTHERS WHO HAD A LOW INTAKE OF METHYLMERCURY. NO CLEAR INDICATION OF CONSISTENT RISK WAS DETECTED IN THE EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDIES. THE COMMITTEE NOTED THAT FISH, THE MAJOR SOURCE OF METHYLMERCURY IN THE DIET, MAKES AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO NUTRITION, ESPECIALLY IN CERTAIN REGIONAL AND ETHNIC DIETS, AND RECOMMENDED THAT ITS NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS BE WEIGHED AGAINST THE POSSIBILITY OF HARM WHEN LIMITS ON METHYLMERCURY CONCENTRATION IN FISH OR ON FISH CONSUMPTION ARE BEING CONSIDERED.
1988, TRS 776-JECFA 33/33, FAS 24-JECFA 33/295. PTWI 0.0033. CONTAM 1978, TRS 631-JECFA 22/26, FAS 13-JECFA 22/43. 0.0033 (PTWI; EXPRESSED AS MERCURY) |
| 8 Jan 05 | |
See Also:
Toxicological Abbreviations
Methylmercury (EHC 101, 1990)
Methylmercury (WHO Food Additives Series 52)
Methylmercury (WHO Food Additives Series 24)
Methylmercury (WHO Food Additives Series 44)