加拿大消费预警：食用近海贝类须当心中毒

食品伙伴网导读：加拿大食品检测局近日出台消费预警，警告消费者勿食捕自近海或其附近区域的双壳贝类。这些双壳贝类可能含有素，一旦食用这种毒素克引起严重的疾病甚至致命。在加拿大新布伦瑞克省已有因食用贻贝而导致麻痹性贝类中毒的病例报告。

麻痹贝类毒素是一类天然毒素，有时在双壳贝类中积累，包括牡蛎,、蛤、扇贝、贻贝和鸟蛤。有时非双壳贝类,如海螺,也可以积累这些毒素。如果食用，这些毒素会造成麻痹性贝类中毒（PSP）。症状包括刺痛和嘴唇,舌头、手、脚麻木和吞咽困难。严重的会造成行走困难,肌肉麻痹、呼吸系统瘫痪，甚至于12个小时内迅速死亡。

原文报道：

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.