Mercury occurs naturally and through human activity. The EU limit in fish depends on the species: point 3.3.1 of Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2023/915 sets 1.0 mg/kg for tuna, shark and swordfish and 0.50 mg/kg for most other fish.
415 notifications since 1 January 2020 named mercury, 1% of all EU notifications in that time. 46 in the 365 days to 8 November 2026, against 59 in the 365 days before, down 22%. 7% were border rejections and 90% had a serious risk decision.
The origins named most often were Spain (204), Portugal (24) and Tunisia (21). The product categories named most often were fish and fish products (358), food supplements and dietetic foods (32) and herbs and spices (9). The products named most often were swordfish (189), tuna (52) and shark (28).
Explainer sources, checked 18 October 2026: Metals as contaminants in food, EFSA; Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/915 on contaminants, consolidated text of 19 August 2026, Annex I.
Counts start on 1 January 2020 and run to 8 November 2026, the day the list was last read. A notification that names two countries of origin counts for each. Findings come from our word list matched against the EU subject line, which is never shown; 96% of all notifications match it, the rest count as other finding. Each reference links to the official record on RASFF Window. How this works.
Latest notifications that named mercury
The newest 25 of 415, newest first, each built from fixed word lists. The reference opens the official record.
- Information for attention notified by Italy: mercury in swordfish from Spain, risk decision serious, reference 2026.9748, validated 3 November 2026.
- Alert notified by Italy: mercury in shark from Spain, risk decision serious, reference 2026.9571, validated 27 October 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Italy: mercury in swordfish from France, risk decision serious, reference 2026.9426, validated 22 October 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Spain: mercury in fish from Tunisia, risk decision serious, reference 2026.9352, validated 21 October 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Italy: mercury in tuna from France and Spain, risk decision serious, reference 2026.9198, validated 16 October 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Italy: mercury in a feed material from Thailand, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2026.8955, validated 8 October 2026.
- Alert notified by Italy: mercury in swordfish from Spain, risk decision serious, reference 2026.8951, validated 8 October 2026.
- Alert notified by Italy: mercury in swordfish from Spain, risk decision serious, reference 2026.8759, validated 2 October 2026.
- Alert notified by Italy: mercury in swordfish from Spain, risk decision serious, reference 2026.8619, validated 29 September 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Croatia: mercury in swordfish from Spain, risk decision serious, reference 2026.8348, validated 21 September 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Spain: mercury in tuna from Morocco, risk decision serious, reference 2026.8337, validated 21 September 2026.
- Alert notified by Italy: mercury in swordfish from Portugal, risk decision serious, reference 2026.7918, validated 8 September 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Italy: mercury in a feed material from Thailand, risk decision serious, reference 2026.7847, validated 4 September 2026.
- Information for attention notified by France: mercury in fish from the United Kingdom, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2026.7705, validated 1 September 2026.
- Alert notified by Italy: mercury in shark from Spain, risk decision serious, reference 2026.7419, validated 21 August 2026.
- Alert notified by the Netherlands: mercury in cinnamon from Vietnam, risk decision serious, reference 2026.7243, validated 14 August 2026.
- Alert notified by Italy: mercury in swordfish from Italy, risk decision serious, reference 2026.7199, validated 13 August 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Italy: mercury in swordfish from Portugal, risk decision serious, reference 2026.7075, validated 10 August 2026.
- Border rejection notified by Spain: mercury and cadmium in fish from Japan, risk decision serious, reference 2026.6898, validated 4 August 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Italy: mercury in swordfish from Spain, risk decision serious, reference 2026.6881, validated 3 August 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Italy: mercury in tuna from Spain, risk decision serious, reference 2026.6724, validated 28 July 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Greece: mercury in lobsters from Morocco, risk decision serious, reference 2026.6478, validated 22 July 2026.
- Alert notified by Portugal: mercury in fish from New Zealand, risk decision serious, reference 2026.6404, validated 17 July 2026.
- Alert notified by Finland: mercury in food supplement capsules or tablets from Finland, risk decision potentially serious, reference 2026.6360, validated 16 July 2026.
- Information for attention notified by Italy: mercury in monkfish from Spain, risk decision serious, reference 2026.6350, validated 16 July 2026.
The numbers
| Year | Notifications |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 54 |
| 2021 | 63 |
| 2022 | 51 |
| 2023 | 78 |
| 2024 | 70 |
| 2025 | 56 |
| 2026 (to 8 Nov 2026) | 43 |
| Type | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Border rejection | 27 | 7% |
| Alert | 180 | 43% |
| Information for follow up | 13 | 3% |
| Information for attention | 195 | 47% |
| Risk decision | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Serious | 372 | 90% |
| Potentially serious | 18 | 4% |
| Potential risk | 10 | 2% |
| Not serious | 7 | 2% |
| Undecided | 7 | 2% |
| No risk | 1 | under 1% |
| Product | Notifications |
|---|---|
| Swordfish | 189 |
| Tuna | 52 |
| Shark | 28 |
| Food supplements | 24 |
| Fish | 15 |
| Cinnamon | 8 |
| Fish fillets | 7 |
| Monkfish | 6 |
| Sea bream | 6 |
| Food supplement capsules or tablets | 3 |
| Origin | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Spain | 204 | 49% |
| Portugal | 24 | 6% |
| Tunisia | 21 | 5% |
| Italy | 18 | 4% |
| Morocco | 18 | 4% |
| India | 13 | 3% |
| China | 12 | 3% |
| Indonesia | 11 | 3% |
| Sri Lanka | 11 | 3% |
| Ecuador | 9 | 2% |
| France | 9 | 2% |
| Netherlands | 8 | 2% |
| Product category | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fish and fish products | 358 | 86% |
| Food supplements and dietetic foods | 32 | 8% |
| Herbs and spices | 9 | 2% |
| Feed materials | 5 | 1% |
| Crustaceans | 2 | under 1% |
| Meat other than poultry | 2 | under 1% |
| Pet food | 2 | under 1% |
| Food additives and flavourings | 1 | under 1% |
| Feed additives | 1 | under 1% |
| Food contact materials | 1 | under 1% |
| Milk and milk products | 1 | under 1% |
| Other and mixed food products | 1 | under 1% |
| Notifying country | Notifications | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Italy | 205 | 49% |
| Spain | 62 | 15% |
| France | 27 | 7% |
| Netherlands | 25 | 6% |
| Germany | 24 | 6% |
| Belgium | 15 | 4% |
| Poland | 9 | 2% |
| Portugal | 8 | 2% |
Get these by email
A free weekly digest of new notifications for the products and origins you pick. Or tell us you would pay EUR 29 a month for an email the same day the EU publishes one.