FOOD 2010 Study Guide - Quiz Guide: Cengage Learning, Activated Carbon, Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Food Science
• Course: FOOD 2010
• Professor: Massimo Marcone

Document Summary

Shellfish are filter feeders, which means they feed by filtering microscopic organisms from the water. Therefore, they can accumulate bacteria, viruses and biotoxins in their tissues. With high enough levels of certain toxins (i. e. saxitoxins), when toxin- contaminated shellfish are consumed they may cause psp. The culprits all of which can accumulate toxins causing psp. Bivalve shellfish (oysters, clams, mussels, scallops: other molluscan shellfish (whelks, periwinkles) You feel: tingling (pins & needles sensation, headache, nausea, vomiting, numbness around lips, gradually spreading to face and neck, difficulty swallowing, arm & leg weakness, paralysis. Symptoms start quickly between 30 mins and 3 hours. The symptoms usually resolve completely within a few hours to days after toxin- contaminated shellfish ingestion. The intensity of symptoms depends on the intensity of toxin poisoning. In severe cases, muscle paralysis, respiratory failure, and death can occur within 12 hours. Be careful what you eat because a cure doesn"t exist!