Mussels, oysters, scallops and clams might be ingredients for fine cuisine, but they can also be a recipe for diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP). That’s a gastrointestinal illness people can get if those tasty morsels contain marine toxins.
Now, researchers are reporting in ACS’Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry the development of a portable, inexpensive device that can quickly and easily screen freshly caught shellfish for these substances.
DSP is caused by eating shellfish that have accumulated okadaic acid (OA) or related marine toxins. Algal blooms – commonly referred to as “red tides” – can produce these substances, which shellfish can accumulate through filter feeding. Because cooking the shellfish does not destroy the toxins, several regulations are in place to prevent the sale and consumption of tainted shellfish. To comply with these regulations, the current practice is to send samples to labs that use expensive, technically intense and slow tests. Waqass Jawaid and colleagues set out to develop an inexpensive, easy-to-use and portable device that maintained the rigorous testing standards of off-site labs but could quickly test shellfish on boats and at other remote locations.
The researchers adapted a test called a lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA), which is like a home pregnancy test strip.
This LFIA combines simple test procedures with an antibody previously shown to specifically bind to three OA toxins. The small, portable device can accurately screen for presence of these substances in less than 20 minutes on a boat, before it goes further into the supply chain. If the test is positive, then the shellfish would not be sold. If the LFIA readout is negative, then an additional, easy-to-use test could be conducted dockside for “total toxins,” which would include detection of a fourth type of OA.
The Latest on: Diarrhetic shellfish poisoning
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The Latest on: Diarrhetic shellfish poisoning
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Health officials advise if your symptoms are severe, to dial 911. You can learn more about Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning and how shellfish can become contaminated by visiting the Washington State ...
- Portable device can quickly test for sickness-causing toxins in shellfishon September 30, 2019 at 1:15 pm
but they can also be a recipe for diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP). That’s a gastrointestinal illness people can get if those tasty morsels contain marine toxins. Now, researchers are reporting in ...
- MBio Diagnostics Announces Two Contracts for Algae Toxin Test Developmenton September 17, 2019 at 9:32 am
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- Six sick after eating mussels in United Kingdomon September 4, 2019 at 5:00 am
At least six people fell ill with diarrhetic shellfish poisoning after eating mussels harvested in the United Kingdom earlier this year. The mussels contained high levels of heat-stable okadaic acid ...
- NH reopens shellfish harvest in Hampton/Seabrook Harboron August 13, 2019 at 4:58 pm
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- Red tide colours North Van shoreson July 18, 2019 at 5:45 am
Eating contaminated shellfish can result in paralytic and diarrhetic shellfish poisoning, according to the BC Centre for Disease Control. The colourful tide is generally not harmful to swimmers, Perry ...
- 2017 Alerts and rejections - Toxin causeson June 20, 2019 at 6:01 am
Among the 11 rejections due to toxins, amnesic shellfish poisoning was the group of marine biotoxins that appears to be the largest with 7 cases documented, mainly found in scallops. Others group of ...
- John Lindsey: Red tide toxins behind advice about eating shellfishon April 27, 2019 at 6:58 pm
That allows their tissues to accumulate toxins from red tides that can cause diarrhetic shellfish poisoning. According to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution website, “Diarrhetic shellfish ...
- It’s ‘red tide’ season on the Central Coast. That’s not good if you’re a seafood loveron April 27, 2019 at 3:29 pm
This allows their tissues to accumulate toxins from red tides that can cause diarrhetic shellfish poisoning. According to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution website, “Diarrhetic Shellfish ...
- Gulf Coast oyster reefs may be home to emerging infection threaton January 14, 2019 at 11:19 am
had been shut down because of a one-celled organism that causes diarrhetic shellfish poisoning. Scientists fear members of the Dinophysis family of algae represent an emerging threat on the Gulf's ...
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