Tetrodotoxins an emerging issue in The Netherlands tackled by a Public Private Partnership Initiative
Abstract
Tetrodotoxines (TTX) are potent neurotoxins which block the sodium channel, depending on the dose intoxications range from nibbling of the tongue till paralysis or even death. TTX was previously associated only with... [ view full abstract ]
Tetrodotoxines (TTX) are potent neurotoxins which block the sodium channel, depending on the dose intoxications range from nibbling of the tongue till paralysis or even death. TTX was previously associated only with seafood
(fish, crustacean, gastropods) in more tropical areas. But after the discovery in 2014 of TTX contaminated bivalves in England also TTX was found in shellfish from the Netherlands since 2015 and onwards. As little is known about toxicity the precautionary principle was applied and a level of 20µg/kg was applied for compliance testing. TTX is currently incorporated in the routine monitoring and production sites are monitored with the same frequency as the other EU regulated marine biotoxins. For the marine biotoxins we know the producing organisms
(mainly HAB related) and bloom dynamics based on historical knowledge, this is for the TTXs still not the case. Therefore, in a public private partnership, industry together with research institutes and government are performing research on the productive organism, climate and hydrology dynamics, economic and social impact, toxicology and occurrence and distribution of the toxins. Within this presentation the latter topic will be discussed. To get an insight on the TTX issue it is of importance to understand the distribution within the Netherlands but also between species and where the toxin is located in the shellfish sample.
Authors
-
Arjen Gerssen
(RIKILT Wageningen University & Research)
-
Mirjam Klijnstra
(RIKILT Wageningen University & Research)
-
Hester Van Den Top
(RIKILT Wageningen University & Research)
-
Joost Memelink
(RIKILT Wageningen University & Research)
-
Martine Van Den Heuvel-greve
(Wageningen Marine Research)
-
Marnix Poelman
(Wageningen Marine Research)
Topic Areas
Outbreak studies , Emerging Toxin Methods
Session
OS-14 » Tetrodotoxin (11:30 - Thursday, 18th May, Bailey Allen 1)