Shark meat, a protein-rich food consumed in various parts of the world, carries significant risks due to high levels of mercury and other contaminants, experts warn. Although popular in countries like Brazil, Iceland, South Korea, Japan, Spain, and Portugal, its consumption is less common in the United States due to sustainability and health concerns.
Registered dietitian Lisa Young notes that while shark meat contains high-quality protein and beneficial nutrients such as selenium and certain B vitamins, these advantages are generally overshadowed by its drawbacks. Sharks, as long-lived predators at the top of the food chain, accumulate toxins over time. Kantha Shelke, a food safety expert at Johns Hopkins University, explains that this accumulation leads to the highest mercury burden among commercially available fish.
"Because sharks are large, long-lived predators at the top of the food chain, they tend to accumulate high levels of mercury and other environmental contaminants over time," Young stated.
Shelke added that consumers can obtain similar or greater nutritional benefits, including omega-3 fatty acids like EPA and DHA, from fish such as salmon and sardines without the associated risks. "Nutritionally, one can get just as much or more from salmon and sardines but without the risk," Shelke said.
The high mercury concentration in shark meat poses a particular threat to the central nervous system, especially to the developing brains of fetuses, as well as to pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and children. Sharks can also contain arsenic, another heavy-metal contaminant to avoid.
"If pregnant, planning to be, breastfeeding or feeding children, please skip it," Shelke advised.
For healthy adults, shark meat should not be a regular part of the diet. Young recommends that if consumed, it should be an occasional food rather than a dietary staple. To meet recommendations for seafood consumption, which is about twice a week, it is generally wiser to choose seafood with lower mercury levels.
Despite the health concerns, shark meat is prepared in various ways globally. In Iceland, hákarl is a traditional delicacy made from fermented Greenland shark. In the U.S., some shark species are used as substitutes for other seafood in dishes like fish and chips or imitation crab products. On the Gulf Coast, grilled or fried shark steaks and bites are sometimes served.
Shelke cautions that consuming shark meat, even as a one-time novelty, should be done mindfully. Individuals should be aware of their total mercury intake for the week, especially if also consuming other high-mercury fish like tuna steak or swordfish. "If pregnant, planning to be, breastfeeding or feeding children, please skip it," she reiterated.