Risk Assessment of Shellfish Toxins

Abstract

Complex secondary metabolites, some of which are highly toxic to mammals, are produced by many marine organisms. Some of these organisms are important food sources for marine animals and, when ingested, the toxins that they produce may be absorbed and stored in the tissues of the predators, which then become toxic to animals higher up the food chain. This is a particular problem with shellfish, and many cases of poisoning are reported in shellfish consumers each year. At present, there is no practicable means of preventing uptake of the toxins by shellfish or of removing them after harvesting. Assessment of the risk posed by such toxins is therefore required in order to determine levels that are unlikely to cause adverse effects in humans and to permit the establishment of regulatory limits in shellfish for human consumption. In the present review, the basic principles of risk assessment are described, and the progress made toward robust risk assessment of seafood toxins is discussed. While good progress has been made, it is clear that further toxicological studies are required before this goal is fully achieved.

Detection of palytoxin-like compounds by a flow cytometry-based immunoassay supported by functional and analytical methods

“…In the past few years, many seafood species contaminated with these toxins have µg/kg. However, this limit has been considered inadequately low by other scientists [41], similarly to the limits proposed by EFSA panels for okadaic acid and saxitoxin groups [42,43], which were not implemented in a change of regulatory levels. There is currently no legal basis for sensitivity adjustment, and therefore, this method may need further optimization to comply with future legislation.…”

Cyanobacterial Toxins of the Laurentian Great Lakes, their Toxicological Effects, and Numerical Limits in Drinking Water

“…According to Munday and Reeve [296] currently no sub-acute repeat oral dosing studies of saxitoxin in animals have been reported using approved protocols. In contrast, the LD50 for A LOAEL for saxitoxins of 1.5 µg/kg b.w.…”

Prevalence, Variability and Bioconcentration of Saxitoxin-Group in Different Marine Species Present in the Food Chain

“…Symptoms begin between ≈15–60 min after contaminated shellfish are ingested; the time depends on the toxicity of the shellfish (≈120 µg STX equivalent per person), which can result in the death of people between 1–4 h post-intoxication (400–10,000 µg STX equiv per person), which is caused by asphyxiation [22,23]. …”