London: It has already been a known fact that though seafood is considered as a healthy option for its high level of proteins and vitamins, it can also put human at risk of exposure to dangerous chemicals with rising pollution levels in the sea.
Hence, a study has come up with a new fish calculator that allows you to determine if the amount of pomfret or salmon you are eating each week is actually safe, reports the Daily Mail.
The dangerous toxic compounds in the sea are known to have harmful effects on the body and in some cases too much can be fatal, scientists claim. However, the new tool can instantly work out someone's average exposure to a range of pollutants, giving them time to change their dietary habits.
Designed by Portuguese scientists as part of the ECSafeSEAFOOD project, the calculator asks for users to select their age range.
They are then made to reveal the amount of fish they eat and which species they consume on a weekly basis. It then assesses their three answers to calculate an estimated exposure to methylmercury and a range of other pollutants.
On a related note, according to the World Health Organisation, Methylmercury can have harmful effects on the nervous, digestive and immune systems and can be fatal.
But currently there is no maximum level that has been laid down in EU legislation for levels of the toxic compound in food. In a separate study, researchers from the Portuguese Marine and Atmosphere Institute in Lisbon assessed varieties of seafood across Europe.
Study author Antonio Marques said, "The exposure to these contaminants through seafood needs to be more finely assessed. Such information is crucial for the European food safety authorities to adjust the legislation."
However, despite the increase of chemicals in seas and oceans across the planet, seafood is still safe to eat, experts say.
