What is the safest tuna with mercury?

January 1, 2026 •

3 min read

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), canned light tuna has a much lower mean mercury concentration than other tuna species. For those seeking what is the safest tuna with mercury, understanding which types to choose and how often to consume them is crucial for minimizing exposure while enjoying the nutritional benefits of seafood.

Quick Summary

This guide explains the different types of tuna and their mercury levels, identifying canned light tuna made from skipjack as the safest option. It explores why mercury levels vary, offers practical tips for choosing safer products, and provides recommended consumption guidelines based on the latest health and food safety research.

Key Points

Opt for Canned Light Tuna: Canned light tuna, primarily made from smaller skipjack, has the lowest mercury levels among common tuna options.
Avoid Larger Species: Larger and older tuna species, such as albacore and bigeye, accumulate significantly more mercury and should be consumed sparingly.
Check Product Labels: Be aware that 'canned white' usually indicates higher-mercury albacore, while 'chunk light' is typically the safer, low-mercury skipjack.
Limit Consumption for Sensitive Groups: Pregnant women and young children should be especially careful with their tuna intake, following specific guidelines to minimize mercury exposure.
Consider Alternative Seafood: Incorporate other low-mercury fish like salmon, sardines, and anchovies into your diet to gain omega-3s without the higher mercury risk.
Choose Tested or Sustainable Brands: Some companies, like Safe Catch, individually test every fish for mercury, while sustainable fishing practices (e.g., pole-and-line) often target smaller fish.

Mercury contamination is a serious concern for seafood lovers, with levels varying significantly between different types of tuna. The key to safe consumption lies in understanding the species of tuna you are buying. Smaller, younger fish, like skipjack, accumulate less mercury over their shorter lifespans, making them a much safer choice than larger, longer-living species.

Why Mercury Levels Differ in Tuna

Mercury is a naturally occurring element that is released into the environment through industrial pollution and natural events like volcanic eruptions. In water, bacteria convert it into methylmercury, a highly toxic neurotoxin that is absorbed by fish. The concentration of methylmercury increases as it moves up the food chain, a process known as biomagnification. Tuna are predatory fish high on this chain, so they naturally contain more mercury than smaller fish. The size and age of the tuna are directly linked to its mercury content: larger, older tuna have had more time to accumulate higher levels of the toxin.

The Safest Tuna Choices

For consumers, especially those in sensitive populations like children and pregnant women, choosing the right type of tuna is critical. Canned light tuna is almost always the best option for low mercury content. This is because it is typically made from smaller skipjack tuna. Some brands even test each individual fish to ensure exceptionally low levels, providing an extra layer of reassurance for consumers. Brands like Safe Catch, for instance, are transparent about their strict testing limits. Other low-mercury options include pole-and-line-caught varieties, which often target younger fish.

How to Interpret Tuna Labels

Understanding the labeling on tuna cans is essential for making an informed choice. Canned products are often categorized based on the species and cut of the tuna inside.

Canned Light Tuna: Generally made from skipjack, this is the safest and lowest-mercury option.
Canned White Tuna: This refers to albacore tuna, a larger species with significantly higher mercury levels—about three times more than skipjack.
Gourmet or Tonno Tuna: These can be made from larger yellowfin tuna, which have mercury levels comparable to albacore.

Mercury Levels in Common Tuna Types


Species	Canned or Fresh	Mean Mercury (PPM)
Skipjack (Canned Light)	Canned	0.126
Yellowfin	Fresh or Frozen	0.354
Albacore (Canned White)	Canned	0.350
Albacore	Fresh or Frozen	0.358
Bigeye	Fresh or Frozen	0.689

Limiting Your Tuna Consumption

Even with low-mercury options, moderation is key to managing your overall mercury intake. Health organizations provide guidelines on weekly fish consumption to help consumers balance the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids with the risks of mercury exposure.

Canned Light Tuna: Healthy adults can consume up to three 4-ounce servings per week. Pregnant women and children should follow specific, lower-level guidelines.
Canned White (Albacore) Tuna: Adults should limit consumption to one 4-ounce serving per week. Albacore is not recommended for children.

Incorporating a variety of seafood with naturally lower mercury levels, such as canned salmon, sardines, and anchovies, is also a smart strategy. These alternatives offer similar nutritional benefits, including omega-3s, with much lower risk.

Sustainable and Safe Brands

Some brands offer tuna that is both lower in mercury and more sustainably sourced. Choosing brands that adhere to specific testing standards or sustainable fishing practices can further ensure the purity of your food. Look for labels indicating pole-and-line-caught or Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified products, as these often correlate with catching smaller, younger fish. A prime example is Safe Catch, which tests each individual tuna for mercury, ensuring consistently low levels. Wild Planet also provides transparent testing data and offers low-mercury skipjack and albacore options. Seeking out these brands can provide peace of mind regarding mercury exposure while supporting environmentally responsible practices.

Conclusion

To identify what is the safest tuna with mercury, always choose canned light tuna, which is typically sourced from smaller, younger skipjack fish with the lowest mercury concentrations. For higher-mercury varieties like albacore, limit your intake to the recommended weekly guidelines. By paying attention to the species on the label, choosing canned light options, and exploring low-mercury alternatives like sardines, you can enjoy the nutritional benefits of seafood responsibly. Being a proactive and informed consumer is the best defense against potential health risks associated with mercury.

Frequently Asked Questions

Canned light tuna has the lowest mercury content. It is most often made from smaller skipjack tuna, which accumulates less mercury over its shorter lifespan compared to other, larger tuna species.

Canned white tuna, which is albacore, has mercury levels that are approximately three times higher on average than canned light tuna. For this reason, canned light tuna is the safer choice for regular consumption.

Yes, but with caution. Pregnant women are advised to limit their intake and strictly choose low-mercury options like canned light tuna, consuming it in moderate quantities, such as 2–3 servings per week, and avoiding high-mercury varieties like albacore and bigeye.

Children can safely eat canned light tuna in controlled portions based on their age and weight. The Environmental Defense Fund recommends avoiding albacore tuna entirely for children.

No, draining the oil or water from canned tuna does not significantly reduce the mercury content. Methylmercury is bound to the protein in the fish meat, not the fluid.

Yes. Brands like Safe Catch test every individual tuna to ensure it meets strict, low-mercury standards. Wild Planet also tests its products and lists average mercury levels, showing their skipjack and albacore varieties are well below the FDA's action limit.

The main factor is the size and age of the fish. Larger, older predatory fish like bigeye and albacore have more mercury because they have accumulated it over a longer life through the food chain compared to smaller, younger fish like skipjack.