Tag: Marine toxins

While barracuda is a popular food in many tropical regions, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises against eating it due to the potential for ciguatera fish poisoning. This serious foodborne illness is caused by ciguatoxins that accumulate in the fish's flesh. Understanding the risks of eating barracuda is crucial for your health.

Between 2007 and 2012, at least three people died from asphyxiation after eating live octopus in South Korea, a striking example of the most immediate and acute potential risks of eating octopus. While these incidents are rare, a range of other hazards can arise from improper handling, consumption, or preparation.

According to the CDC, most cases of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) occur in temperate waters off North America, often linked to contaminated bivalve shellfish like mussels. Understanding what happens when you eat too much mussels is crucial, as this can expose you to harmful marine toxins and other contaminants.

Ciguatera fish poisoning is the most common form of seafood food poisoning worldwide, affecting tens of thousands of people annually. This article explains that because the toxin is heat-stable, you cannot get rid of ciguatera in fish and focuses on effective prevention strategies to keep you safe.

According to the California Department of Public Health, rock crab meat is generally considered safe to eat, but consumers should always exercise caution by avoiding the internal organs, or viscera. This is crucial to ensure it is safe to eat rock crabs, particularly due to the potential for toxins like domoic acid.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, thousands of cases of seafood-related food poisoning occur worldwide every year, with many likely going unreported. A lesser-known but significant symptom of consuming contaminated seafood is numbness, which can be a sign of serious marine toxin exposure.

With over 6,000 species belonging to the phylum Rhodophyta, red algae have both beneficial and harmful effects on humans. While some red algae species are nutritious superfoods, others can release potent toxins that cause respiratory irritation and severe food poisoning.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), harmful algal blooms (HABs) have been reported in all 50 U.S. states and are increasingly common globally, making it critical to know what algae is not edible. While some seaweed is a nutritional superfood, many algae varieties, particularly those that form HABs, can produce potent toxins that are hazardous to humans and animals.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mollusks like clams, scallops, and oysters accounted for over 45% of seafood-related foodborne illnesses in the U.S. from 1973 to 2006, highlighting significant risks. For a variety of reasons, you might ask, 'Why shouldn't you eat shellfish?'--it's a question tied to potential threats ranging from severe allergic reactions to dangerous bacterial contamination and harmful toxins.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tens of thousands of illnesses from eating contaminated shellfish occur annually in the United States, highlighting the critical risks. This alarming statistic reveals why are you not supposed to eat shellfish without considering potential health hazards, which include everything from foodborne pathogens to marine toxins.