Mercury is one of the ten most harmful chemicals to humans, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have invented a way to reduce mercury in tuna by up to 35%, by soaking the canned meat in an aqueous solution of the amino acid cysteine. 

The study was described in the journal “Global Challenges”. 

Until now, the contents of product packaging, such as liquid in a can, have served to protect or extend shelf life, but never to improve safety. The new packaging method, developed by Swedish researchers, involves the use of active packaging that interacts with food. The researchers found that sulfur-containing amino acids, such as cysteine, can effectively bind mercury.