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S02011: Measurement of ASP (Amnesic Shellfish Poison) in King Scallops processed in Scotland

Monday 18 November 2002

This research project aims to investigate domoic acid in scallops, to provide data which will determine the appropriate levels of end product testing in Scotland.

• Study Duration
• Contractor
• Background
• Results and findings
• Dissemination information
• Contact

Study Duration : October 2001 to June 2002

Contractor : Integrin Advanced Biosystems

Background

Testing for domoic acid started in UK waters in 1999 and immediately high levels were detected in scallops leading to economically damaging closures. Domoic acid is not, however, distributed evenly within a scallop, and is concentrated within the gut. It was suggested that a tiered marketing system could be introduced which would allow parts of the scallop to be processed and marketed after the toxic portions were removed. This project will carry out sampling, domoic acid analysis, and assessment of processing practices to provide data, which will determine the appropriate levels of ‘End Product Testing’ for King Scallops in Scotland within a tiered testing regime, which will be introduced by Scotland in 2002.

Results and findings

Domoic acid is a neurotoxin that can cause amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP), and occurs frequently in King Scallops harvested from offshore sites around Scotland. The main purpose of this study was to provide information for the Food Standards Agency and the scallop industry that would help in the definition of a batch upon which the end-product testing of scallops would be based. It was also designed to examine processing procedures to help identify best practice with regards to reducing domoic acid levels in the shucked product to a minimum. The study also provided the opportunity to gather information on the natural variation of domoic acid in scallops.

• It may be possible to determine from which areas within a fisheries box scallops are most likely to have high levels of domoic acid, making it possible to accurately define scallop grounds where the levels of domoic acid in the scallop will be similar.
• Over 99% of the domoic acid associated with the scallops is consistently removed by shucking.
• Different processors produced significantly different results when shucking scallops from the same batch for both roe-off and roe-on product. Shucking standards are thus very important in determining the outcome of end product testing (EPT), particularly when the scallop gonads are small.
• Thorough washing was important in reducing the domoic acid levels in poorly shucked scallops. It is important to prevent the shucked scallop meats from coming in contact with the juices from the scallop offal.
• Implementation of full HACCP procedures to deal with domoic acid in scallops should not be difficult or overly expensive for scallop processors
• The analysis that resulted in the 4.6 mg/kg 'trigger-level' assumed that the analytical methods used produced negligible variation in domoic acid and that the observed variation was natural. Shucking is in fact the greatest source of variation, making this assumption (and the calculation depending on it) invalid.
• The EPT should be based on the combined roe-on product (i.e. on both gonad and muscle simultaneously). If any product is formed from gonads or adductor muscle alone these should be separately tested. A batch should be all the scallops landed from a single box (or similarly defined area) to a single processor within one week regardless of the number or type of scallop gatherers.

Dissemination information

The final report is available from the FSA Library and Information centre.
To obtain a copy, please contact the Enquiry Desk, Dr Elsie Widdowson Library and Information Services, Food Standards Agency ( tel: 020 7276 8181/8182 or email: library&info@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk )

Contact : Email : science@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

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