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Food Safety News

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Recreationally Harvested Shellfish From Two CA Counties Contain Dangerous Toxin Levels

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is warning consumers not to eat recreationally harvested bivalve shellfish (such as mussels, clams or whole scallops) from Monterey or Santa Cruz counties due to dangerous levels of a naturally occurring toxin that can cause illness or death.

Dangerous levels of domoic acid have been detected in mussels from this region. This toxin, also known as Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning (ASP), can cause illness or death in humans. No cases of human poisoning from domoic acid are known to have occurred in California.




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  • Gertrude “Trudy”

    Why is it safe if it’s a sold shellfish but not safe if its not sold? Don’t both categories of shellfish come from the same general area?

    • answeredyoquestion

      its considered safe because the shellfish from approved sources are raised in secluded farms, unlike wild shellfish that are exposed to open water