Quinault Tribe Dungeness crab is being recalled in Washington state for possible domoic acid contamination. These crabs are live or un-eviscerated. Domoic acid is a naturally occurring toxin that is produced by algae. It can be harmful to humans if consumed. Domoic acid causes amnesiac shellfish poisoning. Symptoms of this illness include vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea within 24 hours of exposure. In some cases, ASP can cause permanent short-term memory loss. All live or un-eviscerated crab that was harvested from December 23, 2020 to Debmer 28, 2020 from the Point Chehalis to Destruction Island GHPO056 zone by the Quinault Tribe are recalled. The recalled Quinault Tribe Dungeness crab was sold to food processors in Washington state, with further distribution to wholesalers and … [Read more...]
Study Finds Warmer Ocean Waters Linked to Domoic Acid Production
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released information about a study that showed the risk of domoic acid shellfish poisoning is increasing because of warmer West Coast ocean conditions. These conditions are supporting the increase of the marine algae that produce that toxin. Domoic acid found in shellfish can cause serious and fatal food poisoning. A NOAA-supported research team, led by Oregon State University scientists, is developing a new method to predict these toxic outbreaks on a large scale. Morgaine McKibben, scientist at Oregon State University and lead author of the study, said, "We describe a completely new method to understanding and predicting toxic outbreaks on a large scale, linking domoic acid concentrations in shellfish to ocean conditions caused … [Read more...]
Parts of Maine’s Coastline Closed to Shellfish Harvesting
Parts of Maine's coastline are being closed by the State of Maine Department of Marine Resources to certain types of shellfish harvesting because tests showed the sea creatures may contain domoic acid toxin at dangerous levels. Two notices have been posted on the Maine web site: one for Area No. 64-A and the other for Area No. 64-B. In addition to this closure, clams and mussels recently harvested from those areas should not be eaten. Domoic acid is a biotoxin produced by a plankton, or naturally occurring algae, called diatoms. The toxin accumulates in shellfish flesh but does not hurt those animals. Excessive levels of this toxin can cause serious illness and even death in humans. The illness caused by this toxin is called amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP). The notice for 64-A … [Read more...]
Domoic Acid Warning in Central California
The California Department of Public Health is warning consumers not to eat rock crabs caught in Half Moon Bay and bivalve shellfish and rock crabs caught in Monterey Bay. A high level of domoic acid, a naturally occurring toxin, has been found in those fish. The warning is for crabs and bivalves caught in state waters south of Latitude 37° 11′ N. (near Pigeon Point) and north of Latitude 36° 35′ N (near Cypress Point in Monterey County). The advisory includes recreationally and commercially harvested rock crab, and recreationally caught mussels, clams, and the internal organs of scallops caught in the warning area. Domoic acid is a neurotoxin that causes amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP). The neurotoxin accumulation is related to the bloom of a single celled plant. The conditions … [Read more...]
Warning About Seafood in California Updated by CDPH
The California Department of Public Health is updating its warning to consumers about some seafood caught along the coast. Dungeness and Rock crabs, along with mussels and clams in some counties should not be eaten because they may contain high levels of domoic acid, a toxin. No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with the consumption of these fish. Consumers should not eat recreationally and commercially caught Dungeness and Rock crabs caught in the waters between the Oregon border and the southern Santa Barbara County line. The advisory has been extended to recreationally harvested bivalve shellfish (mussels and clams) from Humboldt and Del Norte counties. The white meat (adductor muscle) of scallops caught in those areas can be eaten, but the viscera should be … [Read more...]
Warning Against Eating Crabs in Central and Northern California
The California Department of Public health advised consumers not to eat Dungeness and Rock crabs caught in waters between the Oregon border and the southern Santa Barbara county line because of dangerous levels of domoic acid. This naturally occurring toxin can cause food poisoning. Test results have shown "persistently high levels" of domoic acid in these shellfish. The levels are over the state's action level for the crab's body meat as well as the viscera, which is also known as crab butter. These crabs pose a "significant risk to the public" if they are eaten. Domoic acid is related to a bloom of a single-celled plant called Pseudo-nitzschia. Conditions that support the growth of this plant are not possible to predict, so food safety experts rely on continuous testing to check if … [Read more...]
Consumers Warned to Not Eat Seafood From California Counties
The California Department of Public Health is warning consumers to not eat certain types of seafood caught in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. Recreationally harvested mussels and clams, commercially or recreationally caught anchovies and sardines, and the internal organs of recreationally caught crab contain dangerous levels of domoic acid. Dominic acid is a poison that can affect people. The symptoms usually appear within 30 minutes to 4 hours after eating toxic seafood. In mild cases, symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache, and dizziness. But in severe cases, victims may have trouble breathing and suffer confusion, disorientation, cardiovascular instability, seizures, permanent loss of short-term memory, coma, or death. Cooking the shellfish will not remove … [Read more...]
California Issues Warning for Recreational Shellfish Harvesting in Ventura County
The California Department of Public Health has issued a warning about recreationally harvested shellfish from the Ventura county coastline due to dangerous levels of domoic acid, a naturally occurring toxin that can cause illness or death. Consumers are advised not to eat recreationally harvested bivalve shellfish (such as mussels, clams or whole scallops or the internal organs of lobster or rock crab. This warning does not apply to commercially harvested shellfish. Domoic acid is a toxin that can cause Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning (ASP), a potentially fatal illness. Symptoms of poisoning from domoic acid develop between 30 minutes and 24 hours of ingestion and can last several days. They include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache, dizziness, and in severe cases, trouble … [Read more...]
California Updates Warning About Domoic Acid in Shellfish
The warning issued by the California Department of Public Health about domoic acid in anchovies and sardines has been updated. The government is warning consumers to avoid eating the internal organs of commercially or recreationally caught anchovy, sardines, or crab from Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. This warning is in addition to the April 4, 2014 warning about not eating recreationally harvested bivalve shellfish from those counties and the April 10 warning. CDPH is collecting sample of bivalve shellfish, fin fish, and crab from the areas to monitor the level of domoic acid. There have been no illnesses reported in association with this warning. The warning does not apply to commercially sold clams, mussels, scallops, or oysters from approved sources. Those shellfish are … [Read more...]
California Warns Consumers Not to Eat Anchovies, Sardines, Crab
The California Department of Public Health is warning consumers not to eat commercially or recreationally caught anchovies or sardines or the internal organs of crab from Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. Dangerous levels of domoic acid have been found in some of these species and could be found in other species. Domoic acid is produced by phytoplankton, a type of algae, and accumulates in shellfish, sardines and anchovies. It is a biotoxin that affects the brain. Several people have died over the years and may others have become permanently disabled with brain damage after eating domoic acid contaminated seafood. The first reported outbreak of domoic acid poisoning was in 1987 at Prince Edward Island, Canada. Three people died and more than 100 were sickened in that outbreak after … [Read more...]
