Shellfish poisoning sickens 70 in south east England
In most cases – which occurred between July 13 and 15 – suffers reported symptoms consistent with diarrhetic shellfish poisoning.
Toxins in shellfish are produced by naturally occurring marine organisms called phytoplankton. Detected levels are much higher in the summer months, when water temperatures rise.
The latest cases have been linked to mussels produced from a particular harvesting area in Shetland, Scotland. The area has been closed after the FSA’s weekly monitoring programme discovered an unusually high toxin level.
The industry has voluntarily suspended commercial harvesting from the waters around Shetland until toxin levels reduce.
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea
Diarrhetic shellfish poisoning can results in nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and abdominal pain. Other symptoms include chills, headache, and fever.
Symptoms usually develop between 30 minutes and two or three hours after eating affected shellfish. The illness can last for up to three days.
The FSA sampling programme regularly monitors shellfish harvesting waters and closes areas where biotoxins are detected at levels which exceed the legal limit.
More advice about shellfish safety is available here.
Meanwhile, food safety is the focus of Food Manufacture's Food Safety Conference to be staged at the National Motor Cycle Museum, near Birmingham on Thursday October 17. More details of the event – to be chaired by Professor Colin Dennis – including the early bird ticket price offer are available here.
