Important Bio toxin in Seafood Tetradotoxin This toxin

Important Bio toxin in Seafood

Tetradotoxin This toxin is mainly found in the liver, ovaries and intestines in various species of puffer fish. • Fish: pufferfish, Goby (Gobius criniger) • Octopus, Haplaochlae maculosa • Shellfish(Gastropoda) Ivory shell, Babylonia japonicus • Star fish , Astropeeton polyacanthus

Ciguatera toxin • Fish that have become toxic by feeding on toxic dinoflagellate Gambierdiscus toxicus • Gastrointestinal and neurological systems are affected due to the toxin. • The most consistently reported symptoms are 1. Moderate to severe gastrointestinal disorders of relatively short duration 2. Moderate to severe neurological disorders that may persist for days, weeks, or months and/or 3. In some cases, death due to respiratory failure.

Paralytic shellfish poisoning • Paralytic Shell Fish poisoning, (PSP) is caused by a group of toxins [saxi toxins and derivatives] produced by dinoflagellates of the genera Alexandrium. , Gymnodinium and Pyrodinium. • PSP is a neurological disorder and the symptoms are tingling, burning and numbness of lips and fingertips

• In severe cases, death occurs due to respiratory paralysis. • Toxin is heat stables not destroyed by cooking. One gram toxic meat can kill 5 people. • US FDA limit is 80 mg poison /100 g.

Diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) • Causative dinoflagellates which produce the toxins are within the genus Dinophysis and Aurocintrum. • At least seven toxins have been identified including Okadoic acid. • Symptoms are gastrointestinal disorder and victims recover within 3 -4 days. No fatalities have ever been observed.

Neurotoxic shellfish poisoning(NSP) • Neurotoxic shellfish poisoning [NSP] has been described in people who consumed bivalves that have been exposed to red tides of the dinoflagellate [Phycodiscus breve]. • Brevetoxins are highly lethal to fish and red tides.

Amnesic shellfish poisoning(ASP) • Amnesic shell fish poisoning intoxication is due to domoic acid, an amino acid produced by the diatom Nitzschia pungens. • ASP vary greatly from slight nausea and vomiting to loss of equilibrium and central neural deficit including confusion and memory loss.

Control of disease caused by biotoxin • The control of marine biotoxins is difficult and disease cannot be entirely prevented. Toxic metals • Toxic metals like Cd, Hg, Se, Pb etc. Above the normal level affect the safety and marketability of foods. It pose special problems in the environment because they are • Extremely persistent • They are lipophilic is nature • Filter feeders like oysters, mussels & clams accumulate these compounds in their body muscles, liver ovary & kidneys.

Antibiotic Residues • Food additives including colours are used in various fish & fishery products ( Council directive 95/2 EC on Food Additives)

Biogenic Amines • Ingested histamine will be detoxified in the intestinal tract by at least 2 enzymes the diamine oxidase (DAO) and histamine N-methyl transferase (HMT) (Taylor 1986).