Shellfish may be tainted with red tide toxin

E-mail | Print | Comments () Posted by Gideon Gil May 4, 2011 05:31 PM

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By Gideon Gil, Globe Staff

The state Department of Public Health issued an advisory this afternoon warning consumers to discard shellfish harvested from southern portions of the Nauset Marsh system, on the border of Orleans and Eastham on Cape Cod, because it could be contaminated with toxins from red tide.

Mussels, oysters, soft-shell clams, and quahogs harvested and sold after April 29 could contain toxic plankton that cause paralytic shellfish poisoning, the agency said. The Division of Marine Fisheries closed the southern portion of the marsh to shellfishing on Monday after Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute experts reported increasing levels of the toxic plankton in marsh waters.

Testing is underway to confirm the presence of the red tide toxin.

No illnesses associated with eating contaminated shellfish have been reported. Symptoms, which usually occur within 30 minutes of eating affected shellfish, include tingling of the lips and tongue, which spreads to the face, neck, fingertips and toes. Headache, dizziness, and nausea follow, the health agency said in a release. In severe cases, paralysis and breathing difficulty can occur. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience these symptoms.

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Daily Dose gives you the latest consumer health news and advice from Boston-area experts. Deborah Kotz is a former reporter for US News and World Report. Write her at dailydose@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter at @debkotz2.

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