Veterinarska stanica, Vol. 52 No. 6, 2021.
Review article
https://doi.org/10.46419/vs.52.6.13
Phycotoxins in marine organisms - a potential threat to consumer safety
Kristina Kvrgić
; Croatian Veterinary Institute, Veterinary Department Rijeka, Croatia
Natalija Džafić
; Croatian Veterinary Institute, Veterinary Department Rijeka, Croatia
Jelka Pleadin
orcid.org/0000-0002-0768-0462
; Croatian Veterinary Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Phycotoxins are natural chemical con- taminants that include azaspiracids (AZAs), okadaic acid (OAs), pectenotoxins (PTXs), yessotoxins (YTXs), cyclic imines (CIs), domoic acid (DA), saxitoxins (STXs) breve- toxins (BTXs), ciguatoxins (CTXs) and palyt- oxins (PlTX). The results of previous research have indicated the frequent occurrence of phycotoxins in marine organisms, and it is known that these substances can have a det- rimental effect on both the environment and human health, since in addition to acute tox- icity, some are tumour promoters, i.e., they show mutagenic and toxic effects in the body even when present in low concentrations. Therefore, in order to protect consumers, the legislation has set maximum levels (MLs) for phycotoxins in bivalve molluscs, echino- derms, tunicates and marine gastropods (EC 853/2004; EU 786/2013), although some, such as cyclic imines, have not yet been included in monitoring programmes and MLs have not yet been determined by the legislation. In further research, using confirmatory highly specific analytical methods to test for the oc- currence of these substances, it is necessary to examine their effects on a more sensitive part of the population due to possible syn- ergistic effects in the body to determine co-occurrence, and to assess consumer exposure due to the presence of these toxic substances intended for consumption. This paper pro- vides an overview of the literature on the properties of the most important representa- tives of phycotoxins, their toxic effects in the body and their occurrence in different types of marine organisms.
Keywords
phycotoxins; consumer safety; marine organisms; incidence; toxicity
Hrčak ID:
260680
URI
Publication date:
2.5.2021.
Visits: 1.069 *