Can You Eat Shark Meat?

Eating shark meat ? You may have been amazed. Lately, on TV and in various glamor and cooking magazines , there is often talk of “alternative” meats that are offered, in different sauces, by the chefs of the greatest international appeal. Some dishes are invented from scratch, to tickle new customs and fashions. Other recipes, on the other hand, are reworked starting from ancient traditions. It is no coincidence that it is possible to taste dishes based on any animal, even shark. But is it possible to eat shark meat? Is it good for health or is it better to avoid it? To these and other questions, we will answer in the next lines.

Why eat shark meat?

Since oriental restaurants began to open in other countries as well, Westerners have been able to start consuming one of their most famous soups. And also one of the most expensive: the shark fin one. For the Chinese, for example, this meat is not only a delight for the palate, but also represents  social status , since it has an inaccessible price for most.

The shark family is large and, in fact, it is believed that there are more than 350 different varieties, among which some have been discovered that are considered edible.

For example, in Europe it is possible to consume dogfish, blue shark (or blue shark), mako, dogfish and head shark meat. It is served in many of the best restaurants, even if always fried or stewed, because this type of meat is not suitable for cooking on the grill.

One of the main reasons shark is used in cooking, besides its price, is because it is a fish whose flesh is free of spines. However, its consistency is gelatinous, and if the animal is large, it may have a strong urea odor. For this reason, restaurateurs instruct those who fish to supply smaller, more appreciated specimens.

Is it good to eat shark meat?

Although many sharks are considered edible, studies have shown that there are three species in particular that contain a considerable amount of mercury. High enough to cause death if swallowed.

Toxic specimens are the white, gray and brown sharks. It has been determined that the levels of metals present in their meat, such as mercury, are 10 times higher than those allowed in safe levels.

The question that arose during the studies is why these fish accumulate so many metals. The answer seemed simple. Due to their wide mouth and voracious appetite, they eat whatever they find. In many cases, they inadvertently swallow inedible substances and objects that may have plastic or toxic parts.

Avoiding eating these sharks is not enough. It is necessary to reason on the fact that, due to pollution and waste thrown into the seas, hundreds of these animals die every year. Not surprisingly, most of the specimens that have a high toxicity in the organism are those that feed closest to the coasts. Exactly where agricultural waste and garbage from big cities arrive.

Many may wonder why people eat shark meat if it has already been shown to be harmful. The main reason comes from a certain cultural and gastronomic tradition. There are dishes like the marinated shark that has existed for years in gastronomy, as well as many other recipes, widespread and popular in the East, but not only.

Yes or no to shark meat?

As always, the final decision rests with each individual alone. Even so, you must keep in mind that any food intended for consumption must guarantee normal quality controls.

In less developed countries, controls are often not as strict as in Italy. A shark-based dish cooked here by us does not represent dangers, at least at the start. Ingesting the same portion, perhaps raw, sitting at a street food counter   of an unknown Indonesian market, certainly involves greater risks. It also depends on how many alternatives you have and how much they cost: it’s sad but true.

Regarding the question of whether it is worthwhile and right to eat shark meat, everyone will have to follow their conscience and common sense. There are those who think that man has always consumed this meat and will continue to do so,  citing a “historical” reason. Others will think that it is simply an abuse, forgetting that, however, other more common animals, under the same conditions, receive an absolutely identical “treatment”.

What remains, regardless of the more or less conflicting points of view, is that this is another demonstration of the fact that we are destroying the planet and the ecosystem that we should instead protect. For us, for our children and for future generations.