MIAMI (USA)- Shark fin soup, still more popular than ever, is not only dangerous for the shark populations worldwide, it also endangers the brain health of the people that eat the soup. Scientists of the University of Miami neurotoxin in the soup.
University of Miami (UM) scientists discovered high concentrations of neurotoxin BMAA in shark fins, linked with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
Their study suggests that the consumption of shark fin soup and cartilage pills may pose a significant health risk for degenerative brain diseases.
Road to extinction
Shark fins are primarily derived through finning, a practice whereby shark fins are removed at sea and the rest of the mutilated animal is thrown back in the water to die. As a result, many shark species are on the road to extinction. Because sharks play important roles in maintaining balance in the oceans. Shark fin soup is not only eaten because of status, it also is supposed to be very healthy for the consumer.Or so it seemed. This new study suggests otherwise.
Tests
Seven species of shark were tested for this study: blacknose, blacktip, bonnethead, bull, great hammerhead, lemon, and nurse sharks. Samples were collected from live animals in waters throughout South Florida. The
concentrations of BMAA (a neurotoxin) in the samples are a cause for concern, not only in shark fin soup, but also in dietary supplements and other forms ingested by humans.
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