Evidence is presented which establishes that mackerel fed in captivity can, by relay from contaminated shellfish via sand eels, accumulate paralytic shellfish poisons (PSP) in the edible flesh at a level (250 micrograms saxitoxin equivalents per kg) similar to that in the contaminated shellfish. Data from ELISAs performed independently in two laboratories show that commercial mackerel fillets which have been associated with incidents of scombrotoxicosis contained 0.02-1.30 micrograms saxitoxin equivalents per kg, concentrations some two to four orders of magnitude below that normally detectable by the mouse bioassay. The doses, expressed as saxitoxin equivalents, administered inadvertently during volunteer testing of such fillets ranged up to 0.5 ng/kg bw, at least four orders of magnitude less than the fatal oral dose for an adult. The doses associated with the rapid induction of nausea/vomiting and/or diarrhoea, 0.11-1.0 ng/kg bw, could not be distinguished from the doses which failed to produce such symptoms in susceptible volunteers (up to 0.5 ng/kg bw). Factors that might explain this lack of correlation between dose (saxitoxin equivalents) and volunteer response are discussed along with previously published reports of PSP relay through the food web. It is suggested that the relay of algal toxins, particularly PSP, but possibly in combination with diarrheic shellfish poisons, may be responsible for scombrotoxicosis.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Multimycotoxin dipstick enzyme immunoassay applied to wheat.

A membrane-based visual dipstick enzyme immunoassay for the simultaneous detection of up to five mycotoxins was developed. Multiple dots of the respective antibodies against aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), T-2 toxin (T-2), 3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3-AcDON), roridin A (RA), and zearalenone (ZEA) were applied onto a dipstick membrane. The competitive immunoreactions were performed by incubation of the dipstick in a test tube containing sample solution and a mixture of the respective toxin-horseradish peroxidase conjugates. After a second incubation in enzyme substrate/chromogen solution, a complete suppression of the (blue) colour development of the respective dot was scored positive. Visual detection limits for AFB1, T-2, 3-AcDON, RA, and ZEA in buffer solution were 2 ng/ml, 5 ng/ml, 50 ng/ml, 30 ng/ml, and 5 ng/ml respectively. Using a simple extraction procedure, the detection limits of the multimycotoxin assay in artificially contaminated wheat samples were 30 ng/g, 100 ng/g, 600 ng/g, 500 ng/g, and 60 ng/g, respectively.

Food Contamination↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Two formats of enzyme immunoassay for the detection of saxitoxin and other paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins.

A competitive direct enzyme-linked immunofiltration assay for the detection of saxitoxin was developed, using polyclonal antibodies against saxitoxin and a saxitoxin-horseradish peroxidase conjugate. The test was performed in an eight-well plastic test device, in which antibody-coated nylon membranes were pressed tightly to an absorbent cellulose layer. Saxitoxin standard or sample extract solution, saxitoxin-conjugate, and enzyme substrate/chromogen solution were sequentially added on to the membrane. The test was evaluated visually by comparing the intensity of the resulting coloured (blue) dot with that of a negative control. The detection limits for saxitoxin in buffer solution and in shellfish tissue were 4 ng/ml and 80 ng/g respectively, with an assay time of less than 15 min. Under the conditions of the immunofiltration assay, decarbamoyl-saxitoxin, gonyautoxin 2/3, and neosaxitoxin standards (in buffer) gave a positive response at concentrations of about 10 ng/ml, 40 ng/ml, and 80 ng/ml, respectively. The relative cross-reactivity of the antibody to these PSPs was similar when determined using both direct and indirect (using a saxitoxin-bovine serum albumin conjugate) competitive enzyme immunoassays in microtitre plate format. In competitive direct microtitre plate assays, the 50% binding values found for saxitoxin, decarbamoyl-saxitoxin, gonyautoxin 2/3 and neosaxitoxin were 15 pg/ml, 47.5 pg/ml, 163.5 pg/ml, and 510 pg/ml respectively. In competitive indirect microtitre assay, the respective values were 138 pg/ml, 404 pg/ml, 1582 pg/ml, and 6982 pg/ml.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Histamine and tyramine formation by microorganisms in milk and milk products].

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Animals↗