Scientists tested a total of seven shark species: blacknose shark, blacktip reef shark, hammerhead shark, bull shark, hammerhead shark, hammerhead shark, lemon shark and nurse shark. www.biquge.info The BMAA concentrations in these shark meat samples ranged from 144 to 1,838 nanograms per milligram, which is comparable to the concentrations found in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's and G. Greck's disease.

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According to the researchers, the concentration of BMAA in the samples is worrying, and it is not only in shark fins, but also in other foods such as health supplements ingested by humans. Despite this, as many as 70 million sharks are fin removed each year and then thrown back into the sea to die. "No trade, no killing," the researchers hope will help discourage shark finning.

This neurotoxin can damage nerves

"The structure of β-methylamino-L-alanine is somewhat similar to amino acids, but there are more methylaminogroups than alanine in amino acids, and it becomes an 'amino acid' that cannot form proteins, and it has neurotoxins." Liu Qingchun, deputy director of the nutrition department of the General Hospital of the Armed Police Force, said nutritionist.

This neurotoxin can cause damage to the nervous system, which in turn leads to muscle atrophy, affecting the digestive system, respiratory system, etc., and eventually not being able to eat and dying. However, β-methylamino-L-alanine is uncommon, so there is no standard for its toxic lethality.

This substance can be found in the seeds of the cycad family, which is now found in sharks, so it can be harmful to the body if eaten, and the most common food we eat with sharks is shark fin. In order to appeal for refusal to eat shark fin during the Chinese New Year, a conservationist "shark guard man" held a slogan with the slogan "shark fin is poisonous" and went straight to the crowded North Market New Year Street to protest with a sign in protest, this suicide act attracted five men suspected of being a businessman to beat him. Outrageously, the police officer who was on duty at the time

didn't come forward to help, and the shark guard man was dissatisfied and complained, "Don't bow to violence!" Yesterday, I went to hold up the sign again, but when I went to the supermarket to buy drinks, the placard was stolen, and he said, "It's okay, it's fast to make a sign!"

Shark guard man Shi Bohan (26 years old) told Apple that he worked as an assistant at his own animal hospital in Kaohsiung City, and three years ago he and his friends promoted shark protection actions on the Internet.

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In this regard, the Taipei City Police said yesterday that there were indeed police officers directing traffic at the intersection, and they were investigating whether the police officers had mishandled the situation, and several suspects had been mastered.

The shark guard man went to hold up the sign for the second time the day before yesterday, writing the words "shark fin is poisonous" on the sign, reminding the public that eating shark fin containing heavy metals can cause illness, and suddenly five men claiming to be the management committee appeared, threatening that "if you raise the card again, it will be bad for you", and the shark guard man was beaten after a verbal altercation with them.

Every year, about 70 million sharks are fin off and then thrown back into the sea to die. Recent studies have found that human consumption of shark fin is not only harmful to the ecology, but also the neurotoxins in it may also increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease is suspected

A study published in the American journal Marine Drugs found that shark fins contain high concentrations of β-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA), a neurotoxin that is thought to be related to "Alzheimer's disease" and "amyotrophic lateral sclerosis" (Lou Gehrig's), commonly known as "ALS". Researchers took small fin pieces from seven species of sharks off the coast of Florida and found that each milligram (1 gram per million) sample contained 144 to 1,838 nanograms (1 billion grams) of BMAA. Researcher Ma Xu said that such concentrations are close to those found in patients with Alzheimer's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Previous studies have found that people in Guam who eat BMAA-containing fruit bats for a long time are more likely to develop degenerative brain diseases.

Lin Jieliang, director of the clinical toxicology department of Linkou Chang Gung Hospital, said yesterday that BMAA has been in the food chain for a long time, and the study only extrapolated from the results, and it is not certain that BMAA is the cause of brain diseases such as "Alzheimer's disease".

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Some laws banning shark fishing have been passed, although there are few restrictions on hunting on the high seas. The United States recently passed a blanket ban on shark hunting, but only to restrict behavior on U.S.-registered fishing vessels and in U.S. territorial waters. Sharks must be imported whole, not just the fins. The International Fisheries Organization (FIO) is also planning an agreement to ban shark fishing in the Atlantic and Mediterranean Oceans, but there are no corresponding bans in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.

On July 1, 2014, the New York State ban on shark fin is about to come into effect, in the face of the new government regulations, most of the Chinese restaurants and restaurants have been fully prepared, shark fin from the menu does not matter, take out the addition of noble ingredients, more labor-intensive top stew, there is confidence that you can still catch the stomach of the gourmet. Some industry operators have reported that although the shark fin meal has been reduced for sale recently, which has attracted many diners, there is still a lot of stock and no countermeasures have yet to be found. Some industry owners also pointed out that the three-month grace period is currently "unclear" and intends to "sell until the last day".

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It is easy to eat industrial gelatin and sodium alginate in fake shark fins, and it is not uncommon for cadmium and methylmercury in real shark fins to exceed the standard

The Zhejiang Provincial Consumer Protection Commission conducted random inspections of dried shark fins in several aquatic product markets in the province, and the results showed that one-third of the dried shark fins exceeded the cadmium standard, including gold hook fins up to 10 times the standard, and some methylmercury exceeded the standard. In markets such as the Omi Agricultural and Sideline Food Wholesale Market, it is common to have no factory address, no shark fin species, no production date, no shelf life, and no contact number.

False shark fin if used industrial gelatin and sodium alginate

It is likely to be contaminated

Chen Yinghao, a chemistry teacher at Hangzhou Senior High School, said that if fake shark fins contain cadmium and methylmercury, it is likely to come from gelatin and sodium alginate, which are the raw materials used to synthesize shark fins. "Gelatin and sodium alginate, which are used in industrial production, may have been contaminated with heavy metals themselves."

Gelatin and sodium alginate are divided into edible and industrial. "Food-grade gelatin and sodium alginate are sometimes used as food additives, and if the dosage is controlled within safety standards, it has little impact on the human body." Mr. Chen said that gelatin and sodium alginate, which are additives, can increase the viscosity of the product, "making synthetic shark fin more like real shark fin".

Zhang, a teacher majoring in environmental engineering at the School of Quality and Safety Engineering of China Jiliang University, said that if edible gelatin and sodium alginate are added to food in moderation, it will have little impact on the human body.