加拿大消費預警：食用近海貝類須當心中毒

食品伙伴網(wǎng)導讀：加拿大食品檢測局近日出臺消費預警，警告消費者勿食捕自近海或其附近區(qū)域的雙殼貝類。這些雙殼貝類可能含有素，一旦食用這種毒素克引起嚴重的疾病甚至致命。在加拿大新布倫瑞克省已有因食用貽貝而導致麻痹性貝類中毒的病例報告。

麻痹貝類毒素是一類天然毒素，有時在雙殼貝類中積累，包括牡蠣,、蛤、扇貝、貽貝和鳥蛤。有時非雙殼貝類,如海螺,也可以積累這些毒素。如果食用，這些毒素會造成麻痹性貝類中毒（PSP）。癥狀包括刺痛和嘴唇,舌頭、手、腳麻木和吞咽困難。嚴重的會造成行走困難,肌肉麻痹、呼吸系統(tǒng)癱瘓，甚至于12個小時內(nèi)迅速死亡。

原文報道：

Recreational Bivalve Shellfish Harvesting In And Around Closed Areas

OTTAWA, July 8, 2010: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning the public against consuming personally harvested bivalve shellfish from and around closed harvest areas. These bivalve shellfish could contain paralytic shellfish toxins that can cause serious and potentially fatal illness if consumed.

There have been reported illnesses related to Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) associated with the consumption of mussels from a closed area in New Brunswick.

The CFIA has determined that the reported illnesses were not associated with purchased product. However, consumers are advised to exercise caution when purchasing shellfish. Consumers can inquire at the point of purchase if the shellfish they are buying has proper documentation to ensure that it was harvested from an approved or open area.

Consumers are also advised that the levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP or red tide) are currently high and several areas are now closed to harvesting bivalve shellfish due to unacceptable PSP levels.

Paralytic shellfish toxins are a group of natural toxins that sometimes accumulate in bivalve shellfish that include oysters, clams, scallops, mussels and cockles. Non-bivalve shellfish, such as whelks, can also accumulate these toxins. These toxins can cause PSP if consumed. Symptoms of PSP include tingling and numbness of the lips, tongue, hands and feet, and difficulty swallowing. In severe situations, this can proceed to difficulty walking, muscle paralysis, respiratory paralysis and death in as quickly as 12 hours.