Dietary Mercury

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Mercury can be introduced into the food supply in a variety of ways, most commonly as a byproduct of pollution. Burning fossil fuels and mining (mercury is used to extract gold) emit inorganic mercury vapor into the atmosphere.  This mercury floats around and eventually settles into waterways. There are many dietary sources of mercury:

• Seafood
• Livestock who are fed contaminated food
• Plants grown in mercury-contaminated soil
• Foods stored in pottery with mercury-based paint
• Duck eggs
• Chemicals used on food crops (e.g., pesticides)
• Protein powder
• Fish oil