Overview
About Shark
Shark is one of only seven fish the FDA and EPA place in the "Choices to Avoid" tier, the highest-mercury category, alongside swordfish, king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, bigeye tuna and Gulf of Mexico tilefish.
The advice for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding and for children is zero servings, not a reduced portion. Shark also has chemistry no other food fish has: its muscle is loaded with urea for osmoregulation, which bacteria convert to ammonia after death. That is the source of both the ammonia smell and the moderate histamine and biogenic amine load on badly handled shark.
Sensitivities
How Shark scores
Watch for
What trips people up
- On the FDA and EPA "Choices to Avoid" list for methylmercury. Sharks are long-lived apex predators, so mercury biomagnifies up through everything they eat
- Urea in the flesh turns to ammonia within hours unless the shark was bled and iced immediately. Traditional recipes soak it in milk, brine or acidulated water for exactly this reason
- Moderate histamine and tyramine, both of which rise sharply on the same spoilage clock that produces the ammonia
- Sold under names that hide it: rock salmon, flake, huss and dogfish are all shark in the fish and chip trade
Diet fit
Where it fits
Swap ideas
More alternatives
FAQ
Common questions about Shark
Can I eat shark while pregnant?
No. The FDA and EPA place shark in the "Choices to Avoid" tier, which means no servings at all for people who are pregnant or breastfeeding and for children ages 1 to 11. This is not a portion-control recommendation like the once-a-week "Good Choices" fish; it is a straight avoid, because methylmercury crosses the placenta and affects the developing nervous system.
Why does shark meat smell like ammonia?
Sharks hold urea and trimethylamine oxide in their muscle to stay in balance with seawater. Once the animal dies, bacterial urease breaks the urea down into ammonia, so shark spoils toward that sharp smell far faster than bony fish. A strong ammonia note means the fillet is past use, and cooking will not fix it.
Is rock salmon the same as shark?
Yes. Rock salmon, flake, huss and dogfish are all market names for shark, most often spiny dogfish, and they turn up in fish and chip shops. If you are avoiding shark for mercury reasons, those names are the ones to watch for, because none of them contain the word shark.
References
Read the background
Ratings reflect the Triggerbites ingredient database and may vary with portion size and preparation.