Rapid test for seafood launched

Related tags Seafood European union Europe

Neogen Europe has released a test that detects domoic acid: the naturally occurring toxin found in shellfish that causes Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning. The Neogen Europe Reveal test is designed to screen suspect samples containing the toxin at 10ppm or greater in shellfish and promises to be extremely sensitive in comparison with other tests on the market. Following the sample extraction, the test takes 10 minutes.

Ed Bradley, Neogen's vice president of food safety says: "This test is simple enough to be used on the boat when the shellfish are harvested, yet reliable enough for a laboratory."

The first major recorded case for domoic acid poisoning took place in Canada in 1987 where 150 people became ill and four died after eating mussels. In Europe, it has been found in Scotland, Northern Ireland, Norway, France, Spain and Portugal. Many countries have established a maximum permitted domoic acid level of 20µg/kg of whole shellfish, or 20ppm. The European Commission Directive has implemented a maximum level of 20ppm of domoic acid in shellfish for human consumption.

The new test is a result of a Knowledge Transfer Partnerships project in partnership with Queen's University, Belfast.

Contact: Neogen Europe

Tel: 01292 525 275