New emerging marine biotoxins have been detected in seashells in France. These pinnatoxins were identified for the first time in France, in 2011, in mussels from the Ingril lagoon in Hérault. Since that date, analyzes carried out in the mussels of this Mediterranean lagoon have shown high concentrations of biotoxins every year. But they have also been detected in mussels from other Mediterranean lagoons and on the Atlantic and Corsican coasts. The National Food Safety Agency (ANSES) was therefore contacted by the Ministries of Agriculture and Health to take stock of these toxins.
No poisoning reported in humans
In humans, no case of intoxication linked to pinnatoxins has not yet been reported, neither in France nor elsewhere in the world. However, the experimental studies carried out by ANSES in mice have shown acute toxic effects which can lead to death in the event of high dose ingestion.
In view of these results, ANSES recommends taking into account these new emerging toxins in the framework of the surveillance of shellfish production areas. It recommends in particular:
- To set up regular monitoring of marine microalgae, called Vulcanodinium rugosum, which produce pinnatoxins.
- To monitor the concentrations of pinnatoxins in shellfish produced at Ingril and Thau.
- To establish a cartography of the establishment of V. rugosum algae in all the shellfish-growing areas of the metropolitan coasts with a view to monitoring, in particular in the Mediterranean lagoons.
Work will also continue to study the possible effects in humans when consuming these shellfish.
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