Natural toxins from fish

Certain fish and shellfish can contain toxins that cause illness even when the seafood looks, smells and tastes normal. Important examples include ciguatoxins that accumulate in some tropical reef fish, algal toxins that accumulate in shellfish, and histamine associated with scombroid poisoning.

Cooking does not reliably eliminate several of these hazards. Ciguatoxins are heat-stable, and once high histamine levels have formed in fish, cooking, freezing, smoking or canning will not make the fish safe. Prevention therefore depends heavily on source control and, for scombroid, prompt and proper chilling.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

Food Poisoning from Seafood — CDC

Consumer-oriented CDC guidance on shellfish poisoning, ciguatera and scombroid poisoning.

Food Poisoning from Marine Toxins — CDC Yellow Book

Detailed CDC information on ciguatera, scombroid and major shellfish toxin syndromes.

Natural toxins from fish (US Centers for Disease Control & Prevention)

The Bad Bug Book (US Food and Drug Administration) – this resource is not just about ‘bugs’!

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