Food Standards Agency
Sunday 5 July 2009
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Listen to this siteInformation relating to biotoxin testing within Scottish waters up to 30 June 2009.
Back to topLatest biotoxin monitoring results
Back to top
In addition to the results from this week, here are the results from the last three weeks:
Biotoxin monitoring results from 7 days ago
Biotoxin monitoring results from 14 days ago
Biotoxin monitoring results from 21 days ago
Implementation of hplc for the detection of paralytic shellfish poisoning (psp) toxins in Scotland.
This annexe is to inform you of changes being made to the statutory monitoring programme for marine biotoxins in Scotland. The changes, which took affect from 6 May 2008, concern the testing for paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins in mussels only.
The Agency has approved the use of a chemical method, HPLC 1 , as a quantitative assay for the testing of PSP toxins in mussels.
The results for the PSP test will continue to be reported as a single figure and in terms of micrograms STX eq/kg shellfish tissue, similarly to the MBA. The current statutory maximum permitted limit of 800 micrograms STX eq/kg (80µg/100g) shellfish tissue remains unaltered.
Where the result is less than 16µg/100g, the result will be noted as <RL, meaning less than reporting limit. The alert level is between 40-79µg/100g and there is no change to this practice.
Should you have any queries about the adoption of this method or the
monitoring programme as a whole, please contact Lorna Murray or Lisa Harper:
Lorna Murray
tel: 01224 285114
email:
lorna.murray@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk
Lisa Harper
tel: 01224 288378
email:
lisa.harper@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk
1 High Performance Liquid Chromatography
Back to topPhytoplankton monitoring is being carried by Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) on behalf of the Food Standards Agency Scotland.
Water samples are collected from designated shellfish growing areas and analyzed, by light microscopy, for various species of phytoplankton.
Alert Level Phytoplankton concentrations have been set as per the table below and harvesters should take the necessary precautions if wanting to harvest under alert conditions.
Testing results
Latest phytoplankton monitoring results
previous results
Phytoplankton monitoring results from 7 days ago
Phytoplankton monitoring results from 14 days ago
Phytoplankton monitoring results from 21 days ago
Should you require any further information regarding harvesting or the interpretation of results, please contact your local authority or the Food Standards Agency Scotland for advice.
Back to topThe maximum permitted levels of biotoxins in shellfish are as follows:
PSP: 80 micrograms/100 grams
ASP: 20 micrograms/grams
DSP: DSP must not be present
For details of any Temporary Closure Notices and/or Warning Notices please contact your Local Authority Environmental Health Officer for advice.
The absence of information does not necessarily mean the area is free of biotoxins. It remains the responsibility of food business operators to ensure that their products comply with all relevant statutory requirements.
Please note that this report reflects the biotoxin results reported on Tuesday of each week. The Biotoxin hotline has been discontinued.
Back to topShould you have any queries about the adoption of the HPLC method or the monitoring programme as a whole, please contact:
Lorna Murray
tel: 01224 285 114
email:
lorna.murray@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk
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