CU IMR-6- gp- pp1 Paralytic Poisoning tiit;9 tiI:jT !.' ut ParalyticShellfish Polsoningptl 5ISAt

Naturally occurringtoxins which znay accumulatein bivalve sheepish shells!can causehuinan cases of paralyticsheHfish poisoning PSP!. These extremelypowerful nerve toxinscan causetemporary paralysis and even death. , nussels, oystersand scaHops have been involvedin outbreaksof PSP in Shellfish Surveillance Program California. It is impossibleto distinguishbetween toxic and safeshellfish, and normalcooking inethods do not destroythe The Departmentof Health Servicesconducts a year-roundPSP toxins. surveiHanceprogram for sport and commercial sheUfish growingareas. This program helps the Departmentmonitor PSP symptomsbegin with tinglingand numbnessof the lips, changesin toxin levelsand to alert the publicand localhealth tongueand fingertips. Later symptomsare lack of balance, agenciesif necessary.The Departmentimmediately doses lack of musde coordination,slurred speechand problemsin commercialoyster beds to protectthe publicif elevatedtoxin swaHowing.Complete paralysisand death from suffocation Levels occur in or near the beds. can occurin severepoisoning. Elevatedtoxin levels sometimes occur during the nonquaraii- DinoflageHatesare tiny oue-ceHedorganisms with both plant tine periodfrom November1 to April 30. The Departmentof and characteristics.The dinoflageUateAlexandrium Health Servicessets special local quarantines if shellfishtoxius catenella formerly Gonyaulaxeatenella! produces the toxins appearduring this period. There havebeen no reportedcases which cause PSP. BivaIve sheHfisheat by filtering dino- of PSP duringthe nouquarautinemonths. flagellatesand other organismsfrom the water. The toxins producedby Alexandriumdo not harm sheHfish. However, Commercially Harvested Shellfish they can harm man and other animalswhen they eat toxic sheHfish. , crab, shrimp and fish do not feed on The quarantinedoes not apply to companieslicensed by the Alexandrium and do not become toxic. State as certified shellfishharvesters. The Departineut of Health Services tests and certifies the shellfish from these California's Quarantine companiesto be free of toxins.

The CaliforniaDepartment of Health Servicesprohibits sport Oystersare the main bivalveshellfish harvested commerciaHy harvestingof musselsfor food from May 1 to October 3L in California,although clams, , scaHops, and oystersare This is the period when large numbersof A/exalidriumcan available in California retail food stores and restaurants occuroff the Californiacoast and when musselsmay become throughoutthe year. These productscome from both local toxic. If musselscontain large amountsof toxins,the quaran- and out-of-statesources. State and federal agenciesregulate tine maybe expandedto includesport harvesting of aHbivalve aH commerciallygrown sheUfishin the United States. These shellfish in the affected area. regulationsensure that only wholesomeand nontoxicshellfish are available to the consumer. Localhealth officers enforce the mussel quarantine. They post signsadvising the public of the quarantine. These signsalso During the quarantine,companies can harvest and seU mussels warn the publicthat dains and scallopsat times may contain for fish bait. Labels on containers of nussels for fish bait toxins,and that sportharvesters should dean the viscerafrom state: thesebivalves and eat only the white meat duringthe quaran- "MUSSELS FOR BAlT ONLY tine period. Absent or destroyedsigns do not alter the UNFIT FOR HUMAN FOOD." quarantineperiod.

ORNlA GRANT University of Caiifornia Cooperative Extension Sea Grant Extension Program Publication

QC 5C EP '-- cd' Safety Tips When Gathering Shellfish

~ Do not gxther musselsfor food during the quartxtxtineperiod. Toxias accumulatein the dark digestiveorgans or viscera of bivalve sheHfish. Toxic mussels are particularly dangerous becausepeople eat the entire mussel including the viscera. PSP hotline ~ During the musselquarantine period, tborougMy clean and wash aH other bivalve sheHfisb before cooking or eating. The Department of Health Services provides a recorded Remove and discard the viscera of aH dams aad . messageoa the status of PSP conditions in California. The messagesalso report on any special PSP quarantines or public ~ viscera can remain toxic year-round. Do aot eat warnings. The telephonenuxnber is 15! 540-2605.The scallop viscera at aay time. Department updatesthe m~ weekly. Callers may leave8 messageat this number to request more detailed information. e When a PSP outbreak occurs, or whea high levels of toxias Annual reports on the sheHfish monitoring program are occur in xnussels,do not eat any bivalve sheflfish harvested available from: ia the same area. Departxnent of Health Services ~ FoHowiag an outbreak of PSP, the necks or siphoas of Eavironxnental Management Branch Washington dams, Saxidomusnuttalli, may retain toxins for 714 "P" St., Room 600 a year or xnore. If this occurs, the Departxnent of Health Sacraxnento, CA 95g14 Services sets and publicizes special local quarantines on Washington chuns. Myths About Red Tides and PSP ~ Be familiar with the California Department of Fish and Game sport fishing regulations. These regulatioas are During late spring, suxnmer, or fall, localized patches or available ia stores seHingsporting goods. streaxnersof color appear ia the or bays along the California Coast. These reddish areas or "red tides" appear ~ Gather clams, musseis,and scallopsonly in areas free from suddenly and last from a few days to a few xnonths before sewagecontamination. If in doubt, contact the local county disappearing. The color of the water comes from the millions health officer or saaitarian to find out if the sheHfish are of dinoflageHatesin the water. Water color varies from brown safe to eat. to red depending on how many dinoflageflates are present,

~ Forget the old sayingabout eating sheHfishonly during Many peoplebelieve that red tidescause shellfish to be toxic, months with an "R" in them. Many people think the saying In fact, most red tides txre harmless. Alentndrium does not meanssheHfish are alwayssafe to eat during the "R" months, generaHycause red tides. Although the presenceof a red tide but toxic shellfish occasionaHyoccur in California in the "R" is a warning that shellfish inay be toxic, the absenceof a red months of September and October. This saying originated tide does not mean they are safe to ecxt. Shellfish can consume in Europeand concernedthe reproductivecycle of Europe- eaough Alexandrium to become toxic even when there is no an , not PSP. visible red tide.

The authors are: f ' f "c 'I,l ! 3 RobertJ. Price,PhX!., Extension Technol~pkittrxs ~.l' 1'; I, 'I

Departmentof Food Science 8r,Technology, University of California-Z etxxia95tyt6 g I t DouglasW. Price,Ph.D., Senior Public Health Biologist EnvironmentalManagement Branch,California Department ofHealth Services, 50D Street, ~ 205; 5QORossI 95404

UCSGEP 90-4

Thiswork ls ~ In partby NCAA,Nadonal 8sa Grani College Program, Department ot Crsmmerce, under grant number NAaQAAXHKIIQQ,, Ttornls 8esGrani COllege Pregrem, and ln partby the~ taste ReeeursesAgency. The U.8. Gevernmem may repreduce and Cketrlbute reprtraa Ior govemmenkd purposes. In eCOCrrdanrmVdthppasabbe stat ~ andFederal laws and Unlvereby policy, the Unkrsrsky ot Calltonaadnes net rgscrtmlnste In eny ot Itspolicies, procedures or precakeson thebasis Ot race, religion,cOIOr, nauOnal Origin. eSX, marital Statue, Sexual nentahtm. age, veteran Status, meCQCal CendIQOn, OrhanCQCap. Addreea Inquldee regarding tlute pnlioy lo theAttirmative Actkrn Director, Un~ ot Calitomla,Agrtoubure and Nalurel Resources, 300 Lakeside Drkrs, «h Floor,DeNand, CA QC81~. 18j Q87OOQ7. UnVereityot Calltern4. Ihe Unaed grates Department ot Agriculture. and the United gtatee Departrnem OtCOmmerC» ~ng.