Investigation reveals brazilian government served mercury-laden shark meat to millions of schoolchildren and vulnerable populations

A year-long investigation by Mongabay and the Pulitzer Center has uncovered a disturbing public health crisis in Brazil, where state governments have been systematically serving shark meat—known to contain dangerous levels of mercury and arsenic—to millions of schoolchildren and vulnerable populations across the country.

The investigation, led by Mongabay senior editor Philip Jacobson along with colleagues Karla Mendes and Kuang Keng Kuek Ser, analyzed thousands of government procurement records to reveal the shocking scope of the problem. Researchers found evidence of shark meat distribution in 10 Brazilian states, affecting more than 500 municipalities. The contaminated meat was served not only in school cafeterias but also in homeless shelters, maternity wards, elder care centers, and even to prisoners and infants—populations particularly vulnerable to heavy metal poisoning.

Perhaps most troubling, government nutritionists actively recommended shark meat for school lunch programs, citing the practical benefit of being boneless while apparently ignoring the serious health risks. When at least one school official raised concerns about heavy metal contamination, those warnings went unheeded by authorities.

The investigation’s impact is already being felt in Brazilian politics, with lawmakers calling for parliamentary hearings to address the findings. This groundbreaking work highlights how investigative journalism can expose hidden environmental and public health crises that might otherwise remain in the shadows, potentially protecting millions of Brazil’s most vulnerable citizens from continued exposure to toxic heavy metals.