Brazil serves potentially contaminated shark meat to children in public schools

Brazil has served more than 5,600 metric tons of potentially contaminated shark meat in schools and other public institutions since 2004, a Mongabay investigation has revealed. Shark meat tends to have higher concentrations of toxic heavy metals, as top predators accumulate contaminants like mercury from lower down in the food chain. The metal and metalloid contaminants, which have been shown to cause brain damage, kidney damage and increased cancer risk, are especially harmful to young children. But of the nearly 6,000 public institutions across 10 Brazilian states that purchased shark meat, 90% were schools. Shark meat was bought by more than 1,100 nurseries and preschools. “You’re giving, every week, contaminated meat to children,” Nathalie Gil, director of Sea Shepherd Brazil, told Mon