California public health officials have announced the quarantine of mussels that have not been commercially harvested. Naturally occurring toxins warn that at this time of year the species will potentially toxic to humans.
An annual order from the state Department of Public Health is held until October 31st, warning against eating mussels harvested for all kinds of sports off the West Coast.
During this six-month period, mussels may have naturally occurring toxins that can cause domain acid biotoxins, also known as paralytic shellfish poisoning and memory amnestic shellfish poisoning.
The appearance of biotoxins in mussels is unpredictable, and their concentrations can increase rapidly, according to state public health officials.
The quarantine area extends along the California coastline from Oregon to the Mexican border, according to public health officials.
Why do these biological toxins occur at this time?
The amount of algae that produce toxin, also known as phytoplankton, is usually small and poses no threat. However, when algae blooms during this period, the number of phytoplankton increases dramatically.
This algae is toxic and can be a food source for shellfish species such as mussels, clams, oysters and scallops.
When shellfish filter and eat toxic algae, biological toxins accumulate in tissues, which is not harmful.
Health officials say that the algae will eventually decrease or disappear, and shellfish will flush the toxins out of the system.
However, it can take days, months or more before it’s safe to eat again. And there is no clear way to determine whether that applies or not.
Cooking shellfish does not guarantee that toxins are removed.
How dangerous is two types of addiction?
Consuming toxic shellfish can be fatal because there is no known antidote, according to public health officials.
Treatment for people who consume mussels with toxins involves breathing support until the toxin is washed away from the body.
Since 1903, a total of 582 cases (including 39 deaths) have been attributed to paralytic shellfish poisoning in California.
Public servants warn that they could die within 30 minutes of consuming toxic shellfish.
However, authorities say it is rare for addiction to be contracted for public health efforts to discourage people from eating potentially toxic mussels.
No human cases of domo acid poisoning have been reported in California.
What are the symptoms?
Early symptoms of paralytic shellfish poisoning include lip and tongue tingling that begins from a few minutes to hours after eating the poisonous shellfish.
These symptoms are followed by loss of balance, muscle coordination, speechlessness, and difficulty swallowing.
In severe cases, complete muscle paralysis and death from asphyxiation can occur.
Can you eat commercially grown mussels?
yes. Commercially grown mussels from certified companies are exempt from quarantine as they require frequent samples to be submitted to the frequently public health department for testing.
If high levels of toxins are detected in the sample, the harvested area is closed until the conditions are safe.
Can I eat clams and scallops?
Clams and scallops are not part of the quarantine. However, officials warn that if you consume clams or scallops, you should remove and dispose of the digestive organs, internal organs and other dark areas.
You need to prepare to eat only the white meat of clams and scallops.
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