this is an example of shopping carefully (aka, what not to buy in this case)
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2008 17:24:31 -0400 (EDT)
From: ProMED-mail <
[email protected]>
Subject: PRO/EDR> Azaspiracid toxins, shellfish - USA ex Ireland: alert
AZASPIRACID TOXINS, SHELLFISH - USA ex IRELAND: ALERT
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A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: Fri 15 Aug 2008
Source: US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) News, press release [edited]
<http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01875.html>
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers
against eating certain frozen cooked mussel products made by Bantry
Bay Seafoods,
imported from Ireland, because they may be contaminated
with azaspiracid toxins, a group of naturally occurring marine toxins
known to cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps.
Azaspiracid toxins are odorless, tasteless, and cannot be destroyed
or neutralized by freezing or cooking, including boiling. Individuals
who have experienced gastrointestinal symptoms such as those noted
above after eating any of the products listed below should consult
their health care professional. Symptoms typically occur within hours
of consumption and persist for 2 to 3 days.
In July [2008], 2 people in Washington State became ill after eating
the company's "Mussels in a Garlic Butter Sauce." FDA tested unopened
product from the same production lot and found that it contained the
azaspiracid toxins.
Consumers should throw out the following Bantry Bay Seafood frozen
cooked products with "Best before end" dates ranging from 23 Jan 2009
to 15 Nov 2009:
Mussels in a Garlic Butter Sauce
Mussels in White Wine Sauce
Mussels in Tomato and Garlic Sauce
The "Best before end" dates are displayed on the side of the box in
the following format: MM
D:YY. Products to be thrown out are marked
with dates 01:23:09 through 11:15:09.
These products are sold frozen in 1 pound cardboard packages in
stores throughout the United States.
The FDA also recommends that retailers and foodservice operators
remove these products, and any food in which these products were used
as an ingredient, from sale or service.
Azaspiracid toxins were an unknown marine toxin until 1995, when they
were identified and linked to an outbreak of foodborne illnesses
associated with consumption of Irish shellfish. The toxins have since
been identified in other shellfish from the west coast of Europe.
They have never been detected in shellfish harvested from US waters.