White albacore tuna contains moderate-to-high mercury levels, averaging 0.350 parts per million (ppm) in canned form. That’s roughly three times the mercury found in canned light tuna, which typically uses smaller skipjack. The FDA classifies albacore as a “Good Choice” rather than a “Best Choice,” meaning it’s safe to eat but in smaller quantities than lower-mercury seafood.
How Much Mercury Is in Albacore Tuna
FDA testing of over 450 samples of canned albacore tuna found an average mercury concentration of 0.350 ppm, with individual cans ranging from undetectable levels all the way up to 0.853 ppm. Fresh or frozen albacore steaks are virtually identical, averaging 0.358 ppm. So whether you’re opening a can or grilling a fillet, the mercury exposure is about the same.
For context, canned light tuna (usually skipjack) averages around 0.120 ppm. That makes albacore roughly three times higher in mercury. It’s not in the same league as the highest-mercury fish like bigeye tuna, swordfish, or king mackerel, which the FDA says to avoid entirely. But it sits clearly above the lower-risk options like salmon, shrimp, sardines, and pollock.
Why Albacore Accumulates More Mercury
Albacore tuna are large predators that sit near the top of the ocean food chain. Every fish they eat has already absorbed mercury from the water and from its own prey. By the time that mercury works its way up to an albacore, it has concentrated dramatically through a process called bioaccumulation. Larger, older albacore carry significantly more mercury than younger, smaller ones. Studies have confirmed that fish with greater body length and weight consistently test higher.
Albacore also have unusually high metabolic rates. They’re fast, warm-blooded fish that burn through enormous amounts of food relative to their size. That elevated metabolism means they process more prey, and more prey means more mercury intake over a lifetime. Skipjack tuna, by comparison, are smaller, shorter-lived, and lower on the food chain, which is why “light” tuna tests so much lower.
FDA Serving Recommendations
The FDA groups fish into three categories: Best Choices (lowest mercury), Good Choices (moderate mercury), and Choices to Avoid (highest mercury). White albacore tuna falls into the “Good Choices” tier, whether canned or fresh.
For adults who are pregnant, might become pregnant, or are breastfeeding, the guidance is to eat no more than one 4-ounce serving per week from the “Good Choices” list. Alternatively, you can skip the albacore that week and eat two to three servings of “Best Choices” fish instead. The general recommendation for pregnant and breastfeeding women is 8 to 12 ounces of seafood per week total, chosen from lower-mercury options.
For children, portion sizes scale with age: about 1 ounce for ages 1 to 3, 2 ounces for ages 4 to 7, 3 ounces for ages 8 to 10, and 4 ounces at age 11. The FDA recommends children eat two servings per week from the “Best Choices” list. Because albacore is a “Good Choice” rather than a “Best Choice,” it’s worth being more cautious with how often kids eat it.
For the general adult population, the Dietary Guidelines recommend at least 8 ounces of seafood per week. If albacore is one of several types of fish you rotate through, occasional servings are well within safe limits.
Albacore vs. Other Tuna Types
Not all tuna is created equal when it comes to mercury. Here’s how the common types compare:
- Canned light tuna (skipjack): ~0.120 ppm average. FDA “Best Choice.” Lowest mercury option in the tuna family.
- Canned white albacore tuna: 0.350 ppm average. FDA “Good Choice.” About three times higher than light tuna.
- Fresh/frozen albacore: 0.358 ppm average. FDA “Good Choice.” Essentially the same as canned.
- Bigeye tuna: Among the highest mercury levels of any commercial fish. FDA “Choice to Avoid.”
If you see “white tuna” on a can, that’s albacore. If the label says “chunk light,” it’s almost always skipjack. This distinction matters more than brand name when it comes to mercury exposure.
Mercury Varies From Can to Can
One important detail: mercury levels in canned tuna aren’t uniform. The FDA data shows albacore ranging from undetectable to 0.853 ppm within the same product category. A study in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis found meaningful differences even between brands, with some store-brand cans testing more than four times higher than others. One outlier sample hit 0.858 ppm, well above the average.
This variability comes down to the individual fish. A large, old albacore caught in one region can carry several times the mercury of a younger, smaller fish from another. Canning companies typically mix fish from different catches, which smooths out the extremes somewhat, but it doesn’t eliminate the variation entirely. You can’t tell from the label how much mercury is in a specific can.
Balancing Mercury Risk With Nutritional Benefits
Albacore tuna is one of the richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids in the tuna family, delivering roughly 3,050 milligrams per 100-gram serving. Those omega-3s support heart health, brain development, and reduce inflammation. For most adults eating albacore once or twice a week, the nutritional benefits likely outweigh the mercury risk.
The calculus shifts for pregnant women and young children, where even low-level mercury exposure can affect developing nervous systems. In those cases, choosing lower-mercury fish like salmon, sardines, or canned light tuna gives you the same omega-3 benefits with a fraction of the mercury. You don’t have to avoid albacore completely, but treating it as an occasional choice rather than a daily staple keeps your exposure well within safe ranges.