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A highly sensitive and selective electrochemical DNA sensor based on a carboxyl functionalized graphene oxide/single-stranded DNA/6-mercapto-1-hexanol/gold electrode (COOH/ssDNA/MCH/Au) was developed for the rapid detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in shrimp samples. The sensor exhibited excellent selectivity, with peak current ratios of 8.3 and 4.1 for complementary to non-complementary and one-base mismatched targets, respectively. It also demonstrated a wide linear range from 10 femtomolar to 10 nM, with a low detection limit of 3 femtomolar. The reproducibility of the sensor was good, with a relative standard deviation of 4.8% for five independently fabricated electrodes. When applied to the detection of V. parahaemolyticus in spiked shrimp samples, the sensor showed high accuracy, with recovery rates ranging from 92.5 to 108.3% and relative standard deviation values below 5%. The proposed sensor outperformed most previously reported electrochemical DNA sensors for V. parahaemolyticus detection in terms of sensitivity and linear range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are persistent organic pollutants that severely threaten the environment and human health due to their distinct chemical composition, extensive production, widespread distribution, bioaccumulation in nature, and long-term persistence. This review focuses on the occurrence and sources of PFAS in seafood, with a particular emphasis on advanced detection methods viz. nanoparticle-based, biosensor-based, and metal–organic frameworks-based, and mass spectrometric techniques. The challenges associated with these advanced detection technologies are also discussed. Recent research and regulatory updates about PFAS, including hazardous and potential health effects, epidemiological studies, and various risk assessment models, have been reviewed. In addition, the need for global monitoring programs and regulations on PFAS are critically reviewed by underscoring their crucial role in protecting human health and the environment. Further, approaches for reducing PFAS in seafood are highlighted with future innovative remediation directions. Although advanced PFAS analytical methods are available, selectivity, sample preparation, and sensitivity are still significant challenges associated with detection of PFAS in seafood matrices. Moreover, crucial research gaps and solutions to essential concerns are critically explored in this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this EDIS publication, we provide information on the current regulatory framework for cell-based seafood production in the United States, food safety considerations, and the path forward for cell-based seafood products to get approved for selling in the marketplace. Additionally, drawing on the available science-based risk analysis methods for seafood production such as Hazards Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), we provided a simple hazard analysis to identify the potential seafood hazards that can potentially compromise the safety of cell-based seafood products.

Indole level in seafood induced by food-borne bacteria is a vital parameter to determine whether the seafood has bacterial contamination. Therefore, to detect pathogens and ensure food safety, rapid, easy to use, and highly sensitive analytical tools are needed for quantifying indole in seafood. In this study, we developed a highly sensitive surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) based tool to detect indole in shrimp. The tool relies on a smart sample container made of a gold nanosphere (AuNS) coated glass Petri dish, AuNS@Dish. The AuNS@Dish was proven to be an efficient plasmonic SERS substrate having an analytical enhancement factor (AEF) of 106. When the indole-containing shrimp extracts were incubated in the plasmonic AuNS@Dish, the SERS signal of indole was significantly enhanced due to the Raman enhancement effects of the AuNS@Dish plasmonic substrate. The change in SERS intensity as a function of indole concentration was used to construct a standard calibration curve leading to a limit of detection (LOD) of 4.97 nM for indole. The standard calibration curve allowed determination of indole level in shrimp samples as low as 0.009 μg/100 g of shrimp which is way below the FDA regulated level, i.e., 25 μg indole/100 g of shrimp. Apart from the high sensitivity, the detection technique was rapid (

Simple Summary: Microfiber pollution is a widespread threat to marine fauna. These particles may be released into water from textiles during the washing process, and due to their low dimensions, the majority of microfibers cannot be blocked from wastewater treatment plants, reaching seas and oceans. Consequently, they could be ingested by marine organisms, including edible species, potentially leading to human exposure. However, microfiber and associated chemical exposure in fish and humans are still understudied. Further research is needed to better understand the potential negative impacts of microfibers on aquatic habitats, marine biota, and humans. The omnipresence of microfibers in marine environments has raised concerns about their availability to aquatic biota, including commercial fish species. Due to their tiny size and wide distribution, microfibers may be ingested by wild-captured pelagic or benthic fish and farmed species. Humans are exposed via seafood consumption. Despite the fact that research on the impact of microfibers on marine biota is increasing, knowledge on their role in food security and safety is limited. The present review aims to examine the current knowledge about microfiber contamination in commercially relevant fish species, their impact on the marine food chain, and their probable threat to consumer health. The available information suggests that among the marine biota, edible species are also contaminated, but there is an urgent need to standardize data collection methods to assess the extent of microfiber occurrence in seafood. In this context, natural microfibers should also be investigated. A multidisciplinary approach to the microfiber issue that recognizes the interrelationship and connection of environmental health with that of animals and humans should be used, leading to the application of strategies to reduce microfiber pollution through the control of the sources and the development of remediation technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Brazilian sardine (Sardinella aurita) is an important food resource found in the subtropical Southwestern Atlantic Continental Shelf (CSSWA), but limited information about its metal(loid) concentrations is available, restricting effective risk assessment by its consumption. On this research, we hypothesized that S. aurita presents different metal(loid) concentrations within a latitudinal gradient in the CSSWA (northern and southern sectors). We also assessed the S. aurita consumption contamination risk in both sectors of the CSSWA. The results indicated that S. aurita might present different chemical and contamination profiles between the observed sectors, with highlights to As, Cr, and Fe at greater levels than the safety limits established by regulatory agencies. Such finds could be explained by urbanization, industrialization, continental and oceanographic processes along the CSSWA, corroborating our hypothesis for most observed metals(loid). On the other hand, our risk assessment analysis of metal(loid) concentrations did not indicate hazards for human consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Hg (II) solid state electrode (ISE) was fabricated using HgS and sparingly soluble Cu and Ag sulfur salts, and the highest sensitivity of the ISE was obtained at the 10% HgS (w/w) composition. The ISE was found to have a slope of about 29 mV towards the Hg (II) ion (pHg 1,0-7,0 M). Hg-SE was found to have a response time of 20 s and it offers an operating range of pH 1,0 to 5,0. Their lifespan was measured as 1 year. It was determined that ISE was not sensitive to other ions. The LOD value of the electrode was measured as 5x10-8 M. In addition, after the electrode validation, it was used in Hg measurements in seafood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The omnipresence of microfibers in marine environments has raised concerns about their availability to aquatic biota, including commercial fish species. Due to their tiny size and wide distribution, microfibers may be ingested by wild-captured pelagic or benthic fish and farmed species. Humans are exposed via seafood consumption. Despite the fact that research on the impact of microfibers on marine biota is increasing, knowledge on their role in food security and safety is limited. The present review aims to examine the current knowledge about microfiber contamination in commercially relevant fish species, their impact on the marine food chain, and their probable threat to consumer health. The available information suggests that among the marine biota, edible species are also contaminated, but there is an urgent need to standardize data collection methods to assess the extent of microfiber occurrence in seafood. In this context, natural microfibers should also be investigated. A multidisciplinary approach to the microfiber issue that recognizes the interrelationship and connection of environmental health with that of animals and humans should be used, leading to the application of strategies to reduce microfiber pollution through the control of the sources and the development of remediation technologies.

Scombroid fish poisoning caused by histamine intoxication is one of the most prevalent allergies associated with seafood consumption in the United States. Typical symptoms range from mild itching up to fatal cardiovascular collapse seen in anaphylaxis. In this paper, we demonstrate rapid, sensitive, and quantitative detection of histamine in both artificially spoiled tuna solution and real spoiled tuna samples using thin layer chromatography in tandem with surface-enhanced Raman scattering (TLC-SERS) sensing methods, enabled by machine learning analysis based on support vector regression (SVR) after feature extraction with principal component analysis (PCA). The TLC plates used herein, which were made from commercial food-grade diatomaceous earth, served simultaneously as the stationary phase to separate histamine from the blended tuna meat and as ultra-sensitive SERS substrates to enhance the detection limit. Using a simple drop cast method to dispense gold colloidal nanoparticles onto the diatomaceous earth plate, we were able to directly detect histamine concentration in artificially spoiled tuna solution down to 10 ppm. Based on the TLC-SERS spectral data of real tuna samples spoiled at room temperature for 0–48 h, we used the PCA-SVR quantitative model to achieve superior predictive performance exceling traditional partial least squares regression (PLSR) method. This work proves that diatomaceous earth based TLC-SERS technique combined with machine-learning analysis is a cost-effective, reliable, and accurate approach for on-site detection and quantification of seafood allergen to enhance food safety. • SVR-based machine learning analysis for TLC-SERS with better quantification accuracy • Ultra-sensitive detection of histamine in spoiled tuna down to 10 ppm • Quantitative PCA-SVR model to evaluate the spoilage time of tuna • Demonstration of TLC-SERS sensing with a portable Raman spectrometer [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For seventy years, mass plastic production and waste mismanagement have resulted in huge pollution of the environment, including the marine environment. The first mention of seafood contaminated by microplastics was recorded in the seventies, and to date numerous studies have been carried out on shellfish, fish and crustaceans. Based on an ad hoc corpus, the current review aims to report on the numerous practices and methodologies described so far. By examining multiple aspects including problems related to the definition of the term microplastic, contamination at the laboratory scale, sampling and isolation, and quantification and identification, the aim was to point out current limitations and the needs to improve and harmonise practices for future studies on microplastics in seafood. A final part is devoted to the minimum information for publication of microplastics studies (MIMS). Based on the aspects discussed, MIMS act as a starting point for harmonisation of analyses. Image 1 • Need for new and more complete definition of microplastics. • Discussion on contamination prevention in the laboratory environment. • Recommendations on sampling and isolation. • Recommendations on quantification and identification. • Proposition of minimum information for publication of microplastics studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • LC-MS/MS allowed to confirm the presence of Ciguatoxins in fish from Atlantic coasts. • The evaluation of the efficiency of sample pretreatment is critical. • Caribbean Ciguatoxin-1 has been the main responsible for the contamination. • This is the first identification of a hydroxy derivative of C-CTX1. Abstract The increased emergence of Ciguatera Fish Poisoning in the Canary Islands and Madeira demanded the development of confirmatory methods by liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry to characterize the risk. Efforts were particularly focused on the optimization of sample pretreatment, especially in the sample cleanup step, to efficiently remove matrix interferences as a critical factor to consider in mass spectrometry detection. Two different LC-MS/MS approaches have been used for confirmation purposes, the first one using the sodium adduct as precursor and product ion to allow an increased sensitivity in the detection, whereas additional fragments were also monitored for further confirmation. The optimized conditions above mentioned allowed the confirmation of Caribbean Ciguatoxin-1 as the main responsible for the samples analyzed from these geographical areas, while the presence of a new hydroxyl metabolite of C-CTX1 was also confirmed in one sample analyzed in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal contamination in seafood has raised public health concerns, especially for local residents who live in coastal areas. In this study, the levels of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and zinc (Zn) were determined in the marine bivalve, Marcia optima, as well as in water, and sediment samples collected from the coastal area of Phuket Bay, Thailand. The results showed that metal concentrations in sediments (4.05-7.14, 16.68-18.13, 164-213 mg kg−1 for Cd, Pb, and Zn, respectively) and water samples (0.16-0.44, 0.15-0.26, and 0.32-0.48 mg L−1 for Cd, Pb, and Zn, respectively) were below the threshold effects concentration of the sediment quality guidelines for adverse effects to occur and the marine water quality standards of Thailand. A human risk assessment was performed and the results showed that the risks associated with M. optima consumption at Saphan Hin and Paklok were negligible for most of the metals studied, with the maximum estimated daily intake value being observed for Zn (0.00663 mg kg−1 per day) at Saphan Hin. In addition, Cd, Zn, Pb, and Hg would be unlikely to pose a risk to human health with a hazard quotient of less than 1, with only the bioaccumulation factor of Zn being detectable in both locations (0.034 and 0.026 at Saphan Hin and Paklok, respectively). However, continuous monitoring is encouraged to prevent the risks associated with the consumption of metal-contaminated seafood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The present study focused on the analytical method of the arsenic species in various marine samples (seafood and marine sediment). Five inorganic and organic arsenic species (arsenite, arsenate, monomethylarsonic, dimethylarsinic and arsenobetaine) were investigated. The extraction method for seafood was chosen with sonication in which a water:methanol mixture (1:1, v/v) was used as the extract solvent. The arsenic species in marine sediment were extracted by shaking using 0.5 M phosphoric acid as extract solvent. The species were separated by a Hamilton-X100 analytical column, and detected by a mass spectrometry separately. Due to the interference caused by ArCl at mass 75, we tried to detect the arsenic at mass 91 by combining arsenic with oxygen (AsO), and the interference of ArCl was eliminated successfully. The seafood certified reference material was used to validate the method for the extraction of arsenic species in seafood samples, and the recovery efficiency of arsenobetaine was detected as 89.4% by this method. For marine sediment, inorganic standard solutions were spiked to confirm the recovery efficiency. The results showed that the recovery efficiencies were 85.7% and 82.2% for arsenite and arsenate. The analysis method was also applied to many real marine samples. The extraction efficiencies of arsenic species were 79.2%–90.6% and 57.4%–91.3% for the real seafood and marine sediment samples. Highlights • Toxic and biological effects of arsenic depend on its special chemical forms. • Method for analysis of arsenic species in marine samples by IC-ICP-MS was investigated. • Interference caused by ArCl at mass 75 was eliminated successfully. • This method was also applied to various CRMs and real marine samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence of the endocrine disruptors bisphenol-A (BPA) and 17β-estradiol (E 2 ) in cultured populations of green mussel ( Perna viridis ) and water samples collected from selected fresh and marine coastal environments along the eastern coast of Thailand were investigated. Analysis found high levels of BPA in mussel tissues that correlated with levels found in coastal (maximum 37.13 ng/L) and freshwater (50.7 ng/L) sites situated near industrial and densely populated areas. By comparison, high levels of E 2 (62.99 ± 5.03 ng/L) were found in freshwater sites near to urban areas. Higher concentrations of BPA and E 2 were found in mature green mussels (>6 mo. old; 6.40 ± 0.52 cm shell length) than levels determined in juveniles (<2–3 mo. old; 2.29 ± 0.65 cm shell length). To evaluate the potential risks associated with the consumption of green mussels, the bioconcentration factor (BCF) for BPA was determined to be 1650 for adult bivalves and 283 for juveniles. As P. viridis can accumulate BPA from the environment, this raises concerns regarding the risks posed by consuming seafood sourced from zones near to major conurbations. Whether the high levels of E2 found in green mussels is due to accumulation or to de novo synthesis as seen in other molluscs, requires further investigation. While industrial and domestic wastewater may be important sources of BPA, E 2 contamination within the eastern part of the Gulf of Thailand has been linked to domestic waste. The study highlights the importance of the temporal and spatial monitoring of sentinel species, such green mussels, for environmental contaminants, the results of which can lead to the construction of regional risk maps helping to inform national strategies regarding aquaculture zoning and aquatic food safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are endocrine disruptors that are typically ingested in food. Using data from the Ewha Birth and Growth Cohort study, we identified dietary patterns related to blood persistent organic pollutant (POP) levels in children. In total, 188 Korean children (95 boys and 93 girls) aged 7–9 years were included in this study. Daily food intake data derived from a semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire were grouped into 33 food groups. Dietary patterns were analyzed using the reduced rank regression method, with blood POP levels as dependent variables. The marker polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) pattern showed more weighted loading factors in the intake of shellfish/salted seafood, cheese, nuts and seeds, and total PCBs showed similar results. The dioxin-like PCB pattern was characterized by a higher intake of yogurt, beverages, and fruit and a lower intake of grain, seaweeds, and processed meat. Additionally, the total organochlorine pesticide (OCP) pattern showed positive factor loading values in shrimp and beverages, and negative factor loading values in seaweeds and processed meat. Each dietary pattern accounted for 25.0% of total OCPs, 22.9% of dioxin-like PCBs, 21.6% of marker PCBs, and 21.3% of total PCBs in blood. Dietary pattern scores were linearly related to blood POP levels, and this association remained after adjusting for sex, age, follow-up survey year, maternal educational level, body mass index, and total energy. Dietary patterns differed slightly among the individual POPs. Further studies are needed to develop an intervention strategy for children. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • We identified dietary patterns related to blood POP levels in a general population of children. • Among various food groups, dairy products and shellfish/salted seafood were associated with multiple POPs. • Each dietary pattern accounted for 25.0% of total OCPs, 22.9% of dioxin-like PCBs, and 21.6% of marker PCBs in blood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radioactive contamination from the Fukushima disaster has undermined the seafood caught around the area. Approximately 20 % of general consumers are reported to avoid seafood from Fukushima, even though it has not been found to exceed the Japanese criteria of radioactivity since April 2015. Based on a survey of more than 2000 domestic consumers in Japan, this study investigated the characteristics of those who boycotted safe marine products from the devastated region, using conjoint analysis with a latent class model. The attributes (levels) included price, three prefectural origins (including Fukushima and adjacent prefectures), six local origins, and two ecolabels targeting white fish meat. The latent class model divided participants into three classes: boycotters (27.5 %), consumers devaluing cod (41.0 %), and ordinary consumers (31.5 %). Boycotters neither believed the radioactive test results from any entity nor bought seafood frequently. Furthermore, they tended not to recognize the Marine Stewardship Council, earned more, and were relatively older than the average. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Fish are an important food source for South Pacific (SP) island countries, yet there is little information on contamination of commercial marine fish species by plastic. The aim of our study was to perform a broad-scale assessment of plastic ingestion by fish common in the diet of SP inhabitants. We examined 932 specimens from 34 commercial fish species across four SP locations, and some of the prey they ingested, for the presence of marine plastics. Plastic was found in 33 species, with an average ingestion rate (IR) of 24.3 ± 1.4% and plastic load of 2.4 ± 0.2 particles per fish. Rapa Nui fish exhibited the greatest IR (50.0%), significantly greater than in other three locations. Rapa Nui is located within the SP subtropical gyre, where the concentration of marine plastics is high and food is limited. Plastic was also found in prey, which confirms the trophic transfer of microplastics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastic particles (PLs) are ubiquitous in aquatic ecosystems, and aquaculture production is susceptible to contamination from external or endogenous sources. This study investigated PL presence in water, fish feed and body sites of 55 European seabass produced in a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS). Fish morphometric parameters and health status biomarkers were determined. A total of 372 PLs were recovered from water (37.2 PL/L), 118 PLs from feed (3.9 PL/g), and 422 from seabass (0.7 PL/g fish; all body sites analysed). All 55 specimens had PLs in at least two of the four body sites analysed. Concentrations were higher in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT; 1.0 PL/g) and gills (0.8 PL/g) than in the liver (0.8 PL/g) and muscle (0.4 PL/g). PL concentration in GIT was significantly higher than in muscle. Black, blue, and transparent fibres made of man-made cellulose/rayon and polyethylene terephthalate were the most common PLs in water and seabass, while black fragments of phenoxy resin were the most common in feed. The levels of polymers linked to RAS components (polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyvinyl chloride) were low, suggesting a limited contribution to the overall PL levels found in water and/or fish. The mean PL size recovered from GIT (930 μm) and gills (1047 μm) was significantly larger than those found in the liver (647 μm) and dorsal muscle (425 μm). Considering all body sites, PLs bioconcentrated in seabass (BCF Fish >1), but their bioaccumulation did not occur (BAF Fish <1). No significant differences were observed in oxidative stress biomarkers between fish with low (<7) and high (≥7) PL numbers. These findings suggest that fish produced in RAS are mainly exposed to MPs through water and feed. Further monitoring under commercial conditions and risk assessment are warranted to identify potential threats to fish and human health and define mitigating measures. [Display omitted] • All fish had plastic particles (PLs) in at least two body sites (0.7 ± 0.4 PL/g). • Mean PL/g in gastrointestinal tract (GIT) was higher than liver, gills and muscle. • PLs in GIT and gills were significantly larger than those found in internal organs. • Man-made cellulose and PET were the most predominant polymer types. • Polymers common in RAS components had low occurrence levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Pharmaceuticals (PhACs) and endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) are chemicals of emerging concern that can accumulate in seafood sold in markets. These compounds may represent a risk to consumers through effects on the human reproductive system, metabolic disorders, pathogenesis of breast cancer or development of microbial resistance. Measuring their levels in highly consumed seafood is important to assess the potential risks to human health. Besides, the effect of cooking on contaminant levels is relevant to investigate. Therefore, the objectives of this research were to study the presence and levels of PhACs and EDCs in commercially available seafood in the European Union market, to investigate the effect of cooking on contaminant levels, and to evaluate the dietary exposure of humans to these compounds through seafood consumption. A sampling survey of seafood from 11 European countries was undertaken. Twelve highly consumed seafood types were analysed raw and cooked with 3 analytical methods (65 samples, 195 analysis). PhACs were mostly not detectable or below quantification limits in seafood whereas EDCs were a recurrent group of contaminants quantified in the majority of the samples. Besides, cooking by steaming significantly increased their levels in seafood from 2 to 46-fold increase. Based on occurrence and levels, bisphenol A, methylparaben and triclosan were selected for performing a human exposure assessment and health risk characterisation through seafood consumption. The results indicate that the Spanish population has the highest exposure to the selected EDCs through seafood consumption, although the exposure via seafood remained below the current toxicological reference values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Brominated flame-retardants (BFRs) such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) are considered hazardous to human health. Due to their persistence, they are still present in the environment and in biota and seafood is major contributor of BFRs to human exposure. Here, we used data from >9700 samples of wild and farmed fish, fish feed and fish feed ingredients collected from the North Atlantic between 2006 and 2016 aiming to investigate factors influencing the risk assessments of BFRs. Due to most representative number of analyses, PBDEs were the main focus of investigation. Mean ∑PBDE in fillet samples ranged from below quantification in Atlantic cod fillet to 2.0 μg kg−1 in Atlantic halibut. The main congener contributing to the ∑PBDE in all species was BDE 47. Factors affecting the level of BFR in seafood were multifaceted, and the levels were within species mainly determined by fish age, geographical origin and time of sampling. BDE 47, 99, 153 and HBCD were selected for margin of exposure (MOE) evaluation. When other sources of BFR than seafood were excluded, our risk assessment showed low risk at the current dietary intake of seafood. However, the dietary intake of BDE 99 may be of concern for toddlers when all sources are considered. The choice of fish species, dietary studies, choice of statistics, as well as exposure from other sources than seafood, were all factors that influenced the final MOE of BFRs. We propose the use of regression on order statistics as a tool for risk assessment, to illustrate means and spreads in large surveillance datasets to avoid the issue of measurements below the limit of quantification. A harmonized, updated evaluation of the risk associated with exposure to BFRs from diet, air and dust is warranted, where the fish species most commonly consumed also is taken into consideration. Highlights • Risk assessment of BDE 47, 99, 153 and HBCD in North East Atlantic seafood indicates low risk at current intake. • BDE 99 could pose a risk at current dietary intake when all exposure sources of brominated flame-retardants are considered. • The large variation in Levels of brominated flame retardants in different Seafood affects the outcome of risk assessments. • Statistical interpretation of surveillance data affect the outcome of risk assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seafood fraud or mislabelling has attracted much attention as it is widespread worldwide, and the scientific name of the species must be indicated on commercial products to satisfy labelling and traceability requirements. Species identification using morphological criteria is difficult to non-specialist, and shell-less specimens, processed products or larval and juvenile forms are morphologically unidentifiable. On the other hand, conventional methods, such as PCR-RFLPs, are tedious, expensive and time-consuming. As an alternative, a multiplex PCR of two rDNA regions, containing the 5S and the ITS, was developed for the identification of the four European Donax species: D. semistriatus, D. trunculus, D. variegatus and D. vittatus. The species-specific electrophoretic profiles allowed their identification in an efficient, fast, simple and low-cost method, offering a feasible application in aquaculture. These genetic markers can be very useful for traceability of the species, application in the management of wedge clam cultures, and conservation of these resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method consisting of methanol-methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK)-water extraction and open-column cation exchange chromatography followed by HPLC was developed for the separation of total, residual, lipid-soluble, and five water soluble arsenic species including AsB, MMA, DMA, As(III), and As(V) in selected Canadian seafood samples. The mass fractions of arsenic were determined by neutron activation analysis with a detection limit of less than 20 µg kg−1. The method was validated by analyzing reference materials. The MIBK phase contained most of the lipid-soluble arsenic and indicated a linear relationship between the lipid content and lipid-soluble arsenic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Descriptor 9 (D9) of the European Union Marine Strategy Framework Directive refers to the compliance of contaminant levels in fish and other seafood of a defined marine region or subregion with human health threshold values. This requires georeferenced samples that are often difficult to obtain when relying on commercial fisheries or programs designed for monitoring human exposure. The present study examines whether georeferenced samples of blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) and eelpout (Zoarces viviparus) fillet of the German environmental specimen bank (ESB) can be used in this context. The suitability of the ESB samples, procedures, and analytical methods is evaluated with respect to D9 requirements. Based on ESB data for the D9 relevant contaminants Pb, Cd, Hg, ∑4 PAHs, PCDD/Fs, dioxin-like (dl)-PCBs, and indicator non-dl-PCBs and the potentially relevant substances TBT, PFOS, PBDE, and HBCDD, the Good Environmental Status for D9 is assessed at the ESB sites in the North and Baltic Seas. The overall evaluation indicates that ESB samples are suitable for D9 assessment with the limitation that only coastal areas of the North and Baltic Seas are covered. Over a period of up to 30 years, concentrations of the D9 relevant contaminants were well below the maximum levels allowed for human consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several extraction and chromatographic methods were evaluated to identify optimum conditions for arsenic speciation analysis in seafood and seaweed. The extraction systems, which include aqueous, aqueous-organic, acidic, basic, and enzymatic solutions, were examined for their efficiency in extracting arsenic from finfish, crustaceans, molluscs, and seaweed keeping the chemical forms of the native arsenicals intact. While dilute solutions of nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, and tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) extract high fractions of arsenic from most of the matrices, the extractants oxidized arsenite (As3+) to arsenate (As5+) and converted some arsenosugars and non-polar arsenicals to known and/or unknown forms. Hot water (90 °C) effectively maintained the integrity of the native arsenic species and enabled analysis of the extracts with no further manipulation than filtration and dilution. Stepwise extraction of water-soluble and non-polar arsenic with hot water and a mixture of dichloromethane and methanol, respectively, resulted in sufficiently quantitative (> 75%) arsenic extraction from seafood and seaweed. Anion and cation exchange chromatographic methods were optimized for separation and quantitation of the arsenicals extracted into hot water. The non-polar arsenicals were collectively determined after digesting the extract in acid. The application of the optimum extraction and chromatographic conditions was demonstrated by analyzing certified reference materials of tuna fish tissue (BCR 627), lobster hepatopancreas (TORT-2) and oyster tissue (SRM 1566b), and a sample of hijiki seaweed. For all the matrices, good agreement (80-92%) was found between the total water-soluble arsenic and the sum of the concentrations of the chromatographed species. Limits of quantification (LOQ) were in the range 4-11 ng g−1 for 16 arsenicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The principal aim of this study was to monitor the occurrence of some metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in fish and mussels from the Gulf of Naples. A comparison with previous researches of the same area was carried out, and the intakes of these compounds through the diet and their effect on the tolerable intake values (when available) were assessed. Cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), and lead (Pb) were detected by flameless atomic absorption spectroscopy (Cd, Cr, and Pb); arsenic (As) and mercury (Hg) were detected by applying the hydride method. PAHs were detected by high-performance liquid chromatography. Widespread contamination was found. Among the metals, Hg showed the highest maximum levels of 284.94 ng/g wet weight (ww) in fish and 480.00 ng/g ww in mussels. Chrysene, phenanthrene, fluoranthene, anthracene, and benzo[k]fluoranthene were the most common PAHs in fish, whereas benzo[a]anthracene, pyrene, phenanthrene, acenaphthylene, and acenaphthene were the most frequently occurring compounds in mussels. The concentrations of As, Cr, Hg, Pb, and PAHs in fish were found to decrease over a period of 30 years, whereas the Cd levels remained constant. The Hg, Pb, and PAH levels in mussels increased over the period 2010 to 2016. Finally, the average consumption of mussels led to the highest effect on the Tolerable Daily Intake of Hg, which was exceeded by 19%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mercury (Hg) is a toxic element and has no known biological functions in humans. This study measured total Hg and methyl mercury (MeHg) concentrations in commonly consumed fish and seafood as well as to estimate the risk of Hg contamination through seafood consumption by Malaysians. The concentrations of total Hg and MeHg in 8 species of crustaceans ( n  = 15), 5 species of cephalopods ( n  = 12), and 29 species of fish ( n  = 78) from West Peninsular Malaysia are reported. Total mercury concentrations in crustaceans, cephalopods and fish were 0.033 ± 0.033 μg/g, 0.040 ± 0.025 μg/g and 0.106 ± 0.128 μg/g wet weight respectively. The proportion of methyl mercury in fish was 81–99% with a mean of 93 ± 5% (n = 15). Significantly higher mercury concentrations were observed in demersal fish, fish on higher trophic level and fish with body length of >20 cm. All fish and seafood were below the Malaysian Food Regulations of 0.5 μg/g wet weight mercury for fish and fishery products and 1.0 μg/g wet weight mercury for predatory fish. The consumption of fish from certain seafood species, however, should be taken into consideration to ensure that the Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) of MeHg does not exceed 1.6 μg/kg body weight/week. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a Gram-negative bacterium that is ubiquitous in marine and estuarine environments. The pathogenic strains can cause foodborne gastroenteritis especially when raw or undercooked seafood contaminated with pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus are consumed. This study aims to obtain a novel species-specific genetic marker using comparative genomics and to investigate their prevalence in both clinical and seafood isolates of V. parahaemolyticus. VPA1327 (vopT) was identified as a unique gene of this organism, but it was reported present in only 33.3% of V. parahaemolyticus (n=72 isolates). Interestingly, vopT was found exclusively in clinical isolates. The combination PCR analysis was used to determine the presence of three genes (tdh, trh, and vopT) in 36 clinical isolates. Four genotypes were classified namely, tdh+trh-vopT+ (24 isolates, 66.7%), tdh+trh+vopT- (2 isolates, 5.6%), tdh-trh+vopT- (2 isolates, 5.6%) and tdh-trh-vopT- (8 isolates, 22.2%). Furthermore, all vopT+ isolates were tdh+ isolates, and none of them coexist with trh+ isolates. This study has provided strong evidence to support vopT as an additional virulence marker for the detection of V. parahaemolyticus with the pathogenic potential to cause human disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The cold‐chain information has characterized by the loss and dispersion according to the different collecting methods. The description for the quality decay factors of aquatic products can be defined as the multidimensional information. A series of nodes with multidimensional information are assembled to be hierarchies aiming at describing the environment conditions and locations in the supply chain. Each of the single hierarchy levels constitutes a sequence of node information in a network, which is applied as internal information analysis. The cross‐layer information structure is defined as “bridge” information which is able to record the information transmissions among every hierarchy from the point of view of the whole chain. The study has established a novel structured modeling to describe the cold chain of aquatic products based on a network‐hierarchy framework. An organized and sustainable transmission process can be built and recorded by the multidimensional attributes for the whole course of cold chain of aquatic products. In addition, seamless connections among every hierarchy are attainable by the environmental information records continuously to monitor the quality of aquatic products. The quality assessments and shelf life predictions are estimated properly as the risk control in order to monitor and trace the safety of aquatic products under the supply chain perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacterial contamination on seafood resulting from unhygienic food-handling practices causes foodborne diseases and significant revenue losses. Moreover, control measures are complicated by a high prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Alternative measures such as the phage therapy, therefore, is considered as an environmental and consumer-friendly biological control strategy for controlling such bacterial contamination. In this study, we determined the effectiveness of a bacteriophage cocktail in controlling E. coli strains [JM 109, ATCC 13706 and the, extended spectrum beta-lactamase resistant strain (ATCC BAA 196)] and S. enterica subsp. enterica (ATCC 13311) as single and combined contaminants of the edible oysters. Five different E. coli-specific phages (belonging to the Siphoviridae family) and a Salmonella phage (belonging to the Tectiviridae family) were successfully isolated from sewage water samples taken from a local sewage treatment plan in the Sunshine Coast region of Australia. Phage treatments applied to the pathogens when they were presented on the oysters as either single or combined hosts, resulted in significant decrease of the number of these bacteria on edible oysters. Results obtained indicated that bacteriophages could have beneficial applications in oyster-processing plants in controlling pathogenic bacterial infestations. This study thus contributes towards ongoing international efforts into the effective use of bacteriophages for biological control purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seafood is a valuable component of human diet because of its nutritional properties. The Atlantic bluefin tuna Thunnus thynnus is a scombroid fish highly appreciated as seafood worldwide. Being a top pelagic predator, concerns have been raised over human health risks due to its consumption. Therefore, herein it was comprehensively evaluated the health status and potential metabolite shifts between sexes of bluefin tuna from the Mediterranean Sea, proved to bioaccumulate environmental obesogens, namely polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) at hepatic level. To this aim, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics was applied on liver of post-spawning tuna. Findings from this study pointed out that hepatic bioaccumulation of PCBs and OCPs induced differential metabolic disturbances between sexes, attributable to the reproductive stage at which tuna were caught. Alterations were mainly found in energy-producing metabolic pathways (with changes in acetate, acetoacetate, malonate, and lactate), amino acid (with changes in BCAA, alanine, sarcosine, and tyrosine), and lipid (with changes in choline and phosphocholine) metabolism, with activation of fatty acids biosynthesis and ketogenesis in male tuna. Overall, according to the current European legislation on maximum levels of contaminants in seafood, the consumption of bluefin tuna does not represent a risk for human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish and shellfish belonging to five different species among pelagic, benthonic and molluscs, were collected from the Gulf of Catania in 2017 to evaluate arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), selenium (Se) vanadium (V) and zinc (Zn). Risk of developing chronic systemic effects derived from seafood consumption was evaluated with the Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) and compared with the results obtained from the same area and the species, collected in 2012. Hg, Cd and Pb concentrations were found below the limits set by European Community for human consumption in all the analysed species. The total risk is reduced from 1.1 to 0.49, and this result is strongly associated with the lower bioaccumulations levels found for Hg, Mn, Se and V. Others metals such as As, Pb, Ni and Zn bioaccumulation levels remain approximately the same, conversely, it is revealed a slight increase of Cd and Cr. Overall, the present study show a positive picture of the studied area, the Gulf of Catania, highlighting not only a decreased metal availability of the study area, but, above all, a decreased risk to develop chronic systemic effects derived from consumption of local seafood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seafood represent an important food source for human, and seafood quality is associated with marine environment quality. PAHs are one of the main organic environmental contaminants and they can be introduced into the body through different way (ingestion, inhalation, dermal absorption). We present data on bioaccumulation of the sixteen PAHs, defined priority by the U.S.- EPA, in Sardina pilchardus , Solea solea and Donax trunculus , three species caught in the Catania Gulf and highly consumed by the local population. The risk to develop chronic systemic and carcinogenic effects due to the consumption of these target species was evaluated through the EDI, THQ and CR. EDI derived from D. trunculus ingestion falls within the range calculated by the EFSA. The THQ is less than 1, and the CR calculated for the Benzo(a)Pyrene is at the limit of the ARL (1✕10 −5 ). EDI derived from S. pilchardus and S. solea ingestion are below the range calculated by the EFSA. The THQ is less than 1, and the CR is below the acceptable risk level. The contamination level found in local seafood determines a low risk to develop chronic systemic effects, but the cancer risk could be of health concern especially for high-frequency molluscs consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastic contamination was investigated in the gut contents of an economically important estuarine top predator, Cynoscion acoupa , according to spatiotemporal and ontogenetic use of a tropical estuary. Microplastic contamination was found in more than half of the analysed fish. Ingested microplastics were classified by type, colour and length with most of the particles consisting of filaments (<5 mm). Longer filaments were more frequently ingested in the upper estuary and smaller filaments in the lower estuary, as a result of differences in hydrodynamic forces and proximity to the probable input sources. The river is likely an important source of filaments to the estuary and filaments ingested in the upper estuary showed little sign of weathering, when compared with those from the lower estuary, which are subject to intense weathering and consequent break-up of particles to smaller sizes. Most filaments, of all colours, accumulated in adults of C. acoupa , which are more susceptible to contamination through both direct ingestion and trophic transference as they shift their feeding mode to piscivory. Moreover, the highest ingestion of filaments in adults occurred in the lower estuary, during the late rainy season, likely associated with the intense fishing activities in this habitat, which results in a greater input of filaments from fishing gear, which are mainly blue in colour. Overall, 44% of the ingested filaments were blue, 20% purple, 13% black, 10% red and 12% white. The next most common colour, the purple filaments, are most likely blue filaments whose colour has weathered to purple. Red filaments were proportionally more ingested in the lower estuary, indicating a coastal/oceanic source. White and black filaments were more commonly ingested in the inner estuary, suggesting that they have a riverine origin and/or were actively ingested by juveniles and sub-adults, which inhabit the inner estuary and have zooplankton as an important food resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adverse effect of seafood consumption on human health is related to the bioaccessibility in contrast with the total heavy metal level in the tissues. In this study, bioaccessibility of Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn in Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialisLamarck, 1819) edible soft tissues collected along the southern Black Sea coast were investigated usingin vitrodigestion model. Total Pb concentration in the tissues was found to be higher than the maximum permissible limits set by European Commission. The bioaccessibility of metals in the tissues was found to be decreased in the order: Ni (83.11%) > Cu (80.47%) > Zn (76.86%) > Cd (73.32%) > Mn (69.11%) > Pb (61.07%) > Cr (58.44%). While significant positive linear regression was observed between total and bioaccessible concentrations for Mn, Pb, and Ni, significant negative linear regression was found for Cd (p< .05). The hazard quotients (HQ) calculated using bioaccessible amount were detected lower than the limit (HQ <1), which may not pose a potential hazard to humans reported by US Environmental Protection Agency. In sum, mussel consumption from sampling sites may cause a potential risk concerning human health especially for Cd and Pb in case of increased portion sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seafood has often been implicated in outbreaks of food-borne illness caused by Listeria monocytogenes but the source of contamination is usually not known. In this study we investigated the possibility that this pathogen could survive in seawater for an extended time period. Freshly collected seawater samples were inoculated with 1 × 108 CFU per ml of L. monocytogenes EGD-e and survival was monitored by plate counting for up to 25 days. When incubated in the dark, either at ambient temperatures (4-14°C) or at 16°C, >104 CFU per ml survivors were present after 25 days. However, when the seawater cell suspensions were exposed to ambient light (solar irradiation) and temperatures, L. monocytogenes lost viability rapidly and no survivors could be detected after the 80 h time point. Both UV-A and visible light in the blue region of the spectrum (470 nm) were found to contribute to this effect. The stress inducible sigma factor σB was found to play a role in survival of L. monocytogenes in seawater. Together these data demonstrate that solar irradiation is a critical determinant of L. monocytogenes survival in marine environments. The data further suggest the possibility of controlling this food-borne pathogen in food-processing environments using visible light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) is an unusual anionic homopolyamide that is biodegradable, edible, and nontoxic. It has a wide variety of industrial applications depending on its combined cations, and molecular weight. In this study, extracellular viscous γ-PGA produced by halotolerant Bacillus sp. SJ-10 isolated from a traditional Korean salted-fermented seafood was purified and characterized. The physicochemical analysis indicated that the γ-PGA produced by Bacillus sp. SJ-10 consists primarily of d -glutamic acid residues combined with sodium cations. When batch fermentation was performed with 8% NaCl for 3 d, Bacillus sp. SJ-10 produced approximately 24.7 g/L γ-PGA with a molecular weight of approximately 400 kilodaltons (kDa). Under fermentation conditions with 6% NaCl, the maximum yield was 26.2 g/L regardless of the molecular weight. The γ-PGA sodium salt with a molecular weight of 400 kDa exhibited antioxidant activity by scavenging 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) radicals and reducing molybdenum, with maximal scavenging activity at 0.5 mg/mL and reducing activity at 1 mg/mL (20 μg ascorbic acid-equivalent), respectively. These results suggest the potential use of γ-PGA in the food, cosmetic, and biomedical industries for its antioxidant qualities. Our results also provide an economical method for controlling the molecular weight of the γ-PGA produced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The health risks of mercury exposure due to the high consumption of aquatic were assessed for fishermen and non-fishermen families living on the Bandar Abbas, Bushehr, and Mahshahr cities located in the coast of Persian Gulf (Iran). The mean hair mercury concentration of people in Bandar Abbas, Bushehr, and Mahshahr cities was obtained 1.56 ± 0.17, 1.97 ± 0.22, and 5.12 ± 0.3 μg g, respectively. Hair mercury concentration in 8.8% of people exceeded the no observed adverse effects level (NOAEL) of 10 μg g declared by the World Health Organization (WHO). The fish and shrimps consumption, place of living, and fisher and non-fisherman family were variables that significantly effected on mercury levels in the hair. The effect of other factors (age, sex, and number of dental amalgam fillings) on hair mercury was not significant. The mean concentrations of mercury in three fish species in Mahshahr exceeded the recommended maximum standard level (0.5 μg g) set by the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). The estimated weekly intake (EWI) for mercury in some fish species in Bandar Abbas, Bushehr, and Mahshahr was higher than the provisional tolerable weekly intake (1.6 μg kg bw) set by European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for some groups. The significant positive correlation between daily mercury intake and hair mercury concentration of people ( r = 0.64, P < 0.001) reasserts that the hair mercury concentration could be explained by fish consumption. HQ > 1 was obtained for women in child bearing age in fishermen families in Bandar Abbas and Bushehr cities, children in fishermen families in Bushehr, and for all groups of population except adult in non-fishermen families in Mahshahr. So, the limited consumption of some fish species for these groups of people is recommended. The maximum of allowable fish consumption rate was 0.70 meals/month for Pseudorhombus arsius from Mahshahr fish for women of child bearing age. Also, it is necessary to create and monitor and enforce environmental standards, preventing the entry of pollutants released into the marine aquatic environment without proper early treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Methyl mercury (MeHg) is a well-known neurotoxin and evidence suggests that also low level exposure may affect prenatal neurodevelopment. Uncertainty exists as to whether the maternal MeHg burden in Norway might affect child neurodevelopment. Objective To evaluate the association between prenatal mercury exposure, maternal seafood consumption and child language and communication skills at age five. Methods The study sample comprised 38,581 mother-child pairs in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study. Maternal mercury blood concentration in gestational week 17 was analysed in a sub-sample of 2239 women. Prenatal mercury exposure from maternal diet was calculated from a validated FFQ answered in mid-pregnancy. Mothers reported children's language and communications skills at age five by a questionnaire including questions from the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ), the Speech and Language Assessment Scale (SLAS) and the Twenty Statements about Language-Related Difficulties (language 20). We performed linear regression analyses adjusting for maternal characteristics, nutritional status and socioeconomic factors. Results Median maternal blood mercury concentration was 1.03 μg/L, dietary mercury exposure was 0.15 μg/kg bw/wk, and seafood intake was 217 g/wk. Blood mercury concentrations were not associated with any language and communication scales. Increased dietary mercury exposure was significantly associated with improved SLAS scores when mothers had a seafood intake below 400 g/wk in the adjusted analysis. Sibling matched analysis showed a small significant adverse association between those above the 90th percentile dietary mercury exposure and the SLAS scores. Maternal seafood intake during pregnancy was positively associated with the language and communication scales. Conclusion Low levels of prenatal mercury exposure were positively associated with language and communication skills at five years. However, the matched sibling analyses suggested an adverse association between mercury and child language skills in the highest exposure group. This indicates that prenatal low level mercury exposure still needs our attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Seafood is an important source of essential nutrients; however, it can also confer health risks from methylmercury (MeHg). In this paper, we evaluate the levels of potential methylmercury exposure among Kuwaiti seafood consumers in order to support the development of dietary recommendations for fish consumption in Kuwait. Total mercury (HgT) concentration for most of the studied fish and shellfish species were on average below the 0.5 μg g − 1 Codex guideline. The notable exception to this was Hamoor ( Epinephelus coioides ), which averaged 1.29 μg g − 1 HgT and 0.55 μg g − 1 MeHg. A dietary survey of 2393 households demonstrated that large quantities of fish and shellfish are commonly consumed in Kuwait (average consumption: 103 g d − 1 ). Most participants (53.6%) exceeded the Tolerable Daily Intake of MeHg; this percent exceedance was as high as 78% in children 6–12 years of age. The majority (Mean: 50–51%) of Kuwaiti's dietary MeHg exposure comes from the consumption of Hamoor; therefore, advisories to limit the consumption of Hamoor may be necessary. Nutrient:Methylmercury ratios are reported herein; these ratios may assist efforts to create dietary advice that limits contaminant risk while promoting the nutritional benefits of seafood in Kuwait. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calculating risk from seafood exposure to persistent organic pollutants continues to be problematic as estimates of exposure from diet require extensive monitoring of fish species and limited assessments of bioavailability from sediments where the contaminants tend to reside. Previous studies in our laboratory utilized a laboratory-based isotope dilution method (IDM) to estimate the bioavailability of DDT [1,1,1-trichloro-2, 2-bis( p -chloro-phenyl)ethane] and its metabolites from sediment to biota from a superfund site on the shelf of the Palos Verdes (PVS) Peninsula in California (USA). Using a biota-sediment accumulation factor (BSAF) derived from IDM and biomagnification factors (BMF) calculated from previous studies as well as seafood-consumption data specific to anglers in the PVS area, we estimated cancer and non-cancer risks for anglers and nursing infants representing sensitive groups. Predicted cancer risks from consumption of White croaker ( Genyonemus lineatus ) to the 50th and 95th percentile to all shore mode anglers were, respectively, 2 × 10 − 7 and 7 × 10 − 7 , which were similar to field studies using fish concentrations of all DDT isomers and their environmental degradates (ΣDDT) from collected animals. The calculated non-cancer hazard quotient values for the 50th and 95th percentile shore mode anglers consuming White croaker from this study (0.008 and 0.023, respectively) were also of similar magnitude as those obtained from studies based on samples obtained solely from fish. For nursing infants, similar results were also observed. These results indicate that estimates of bioavailability using IDM from sediment could be used accurately to determine risk to ΣDDT in humans from fish consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A non-chromatographic method was developed for Hg speciation as CH 3 Hg + and Hg 2+ using simple instrumentation based on optical emission spectrometry in a low power and low Ar consumption capacitively coupled plasma microtorch and detection with a low resolution microspectrometer. The method is based on (i) determination of total Hg after sample digestion in nitric acid-hydrogen peroxide mixture, derivatization to cold vapor with 20% SnCl 2 in 15% HCl medium; (ii) determination of CH 3 Hg + separated by double liquid-liquid extraction as recommended in JRC Technical Report of European Commission, followed by photochemical vapor generation in 0.6 mol l −1 formic acid and (iii) calculation of the inorganic (Hg 2+ ) species as difference. The calibration curve was generated with external Hg 2+ standards in 5% (v/v) HCl for total Hg determination and 0.6 mol l −1 HCOOH medium for CH 3 Hg + , respectively. The method was validated against certified reference materials and successfully applied for Hg speciation in most consumed fish species. The limits of detection of the method were 2 and 3 μg kg −1 CH 3 Hg + and total Hg respectively, which made possible quantification of 6/9 μg kg −1 organic/total Hg. The method proved to be accurate with recovery of 101 ± 10% (total Hg), 100 ± 8% (CH 3 Hg + ) and 102 ± 13% (Hg 2+ ), and precision in the range 2.4–7.8% (total Hg), 2.4–11.9% (CH 3 Hg + ) and 3.8–14.0% (Hg 2+ ). The speciation method allowed accurate and precise determination of CH 3 Hg + and Hg 2+ even when the organic species represented more than 98% of total Hg. Total Hg in fish depended on variety but in all cases it was below the maximum admitted level (0.5 mg kg −1 ). Methylmercury represented 22.3–93.3% of total Hg, with higher weights in salmon, carp, mackerel and hake and lower in cod, trout and pangasius irrespective of total Hg. Evaluation of risk exposure to CH 3 Hg + from occasional fish consumption based on Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake seems to be much more informative than the concentration of total or organic Hg species. It has been concluded from our study that there is no health risk from exposure to methylmercury for 300–1000/60-200 g weekly fish consumption by adult/child when fish comes from reliable sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seafood products are important sources of proteins, polyunsaturated lipids and phospholipids, and also of numerous micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). However, they may also present chemical contaminants that can constitute a health risk and that must be considered when evaluating the risk/benefit associated with consumption of this group of foods. Toxic metals and metalloids in seafood, such as mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), and lead (Pb), are subjected to legislative control in order to provide the consumer with safe seafood. This review provides an exhaustive survey of the occurrence of these toxic metal(loid)s in seafood products, and of the risk resulting from their consumption. Consideration is given to aspects related to speciation, food processing, and bioavailability, which are key factors in evaluating the risk associated with the presence of these toxic trace elements in seafood products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ostreopsis cf. ovata produces palytoxin analogues including ovatoxins (OVTXs) and a putative palytoxin (p-PLTX), which can accumulate in marine organisms and may possibly lead to food intoxication. However, purified ovatoxins are not widely available and their toxicities are still unknown. The aim of this study was to improve understanding of the ecophysiology of Ostreopsis cf. ovata and its toxin production as well as to optimize the purification process for ovatoxin. During Ostreopsis blooms in 2011 and 2012 in Villefranche-sur-Mer (France, NW Mediterranean Sea), microalgae epiphytic cells and marine organisms were collected and analyzed both by LC-MS/MS and hemolysis assay. Results obtained with these two methods were comparable, suggesting ovatoxins have hemolytic properties. An average of 223 μg·kg−1 of palytoxin equivalent of whole flesh was found, thus exceeding the threshold of 30 μg·kg−1 in shellfish recommended by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Ostreopsis cells showed the same toxin profile both in situ and in laboratory culture, with ovatoxin-a (OVTX-a) being the most abundant analogue (~50%), followed by OVTX-b (~15%), p-PLTX (12%), OVTX-d (8%), OVTX-c (5%) and OVTX-e (4%). Ostreopsis cf. ovata produced up to 2 g of biomass per L of culture, with a maximum concentration of 300 pg PLTX equivalent cell−1. Thus, an approximate amount of 10 mg of PLTX-group toxins may be produced with 10 L of this strain. Toxin extracts obtained from collected biomass were purified using different techniques such as liquid-liquid partition or size exclusion. Among these methods, open-column chromatography with Sephadex LH20 phase yielded the best results with a cleanup efficiency of 93% and recovery of about 85%, representing an increase of toxin percentage by 13 fold. Hence, this purification step should be incorporated into future isolation exercises.

The present study determined the metal levels in aquaculture fish of tilapia and water and sediments in the southwestern Taiwan and estimated the human health risk assessment for consumption of tilapia. Bioconcentration factor (BCF) and biota-sediment accumulation factor (BSAF) were used to assess the metal accumulation ability of biotas, while metal pollution index (MPI) was assessed to compare the pollution level of total eight metals for the different sampling sites and tissues of tilapia. Metal level in tissues revealed a tissue-specific bioaccumulation pattern. Except for Cu, the highest metal burden was found in kidney, showing the significant differences in metal concentration of kidney with the other tissues of tilapia. Muscle accumulated the low concentrations of Hg (0.19 ± 0.21 μg g −1 dry wt), Cd (0.05 ± 0.02), As (0.06 ± 0.05), Cu (1.61 ± 1.17), Zn (21.5 ± 10.2), and Ni (1.01 ± 1.03). Results allowed putting the mean MPI of tissues in order from the highest to lowest value, kidney (6.92) > GI tract (2.06) > liver (1.25) > gill (0.80) > muscle (0.59). In addition to Hg and Cd, the estimate of BCF was greater that of BSAF for other metals, demonstrating that the bioaccumulation of Hg and Cd for tilapia collected from aquaculture ponds was from the sediments, as well as the bioaccumulation of other metal was from water. Correlation analysis found that Fulton's condition factor ( K ) of tilapia had the negative relationship with MPI for muscle, liver, and kidney, meaning decreasing K of tilapia was with the increasing estimates of MPI. For the human health risk assessment, tilapia cultured in the southwest coast of Taiwan was found to be low-risk for consumption and do not surface a potential threat to the health of general human consumers. Results in this effort can assist the government in determining seafood safety and its implementation in Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seafood mislabeling is common in both domestic and international markets. Studies on seafood fraud often report high rates of mislabeling (e.g., >70%), but these studies have been limited to a single sampling year, which means it is difficult to assess the impact of stricter governmental truth-in-labeling regulations. We used DNA barcoding to assess seafood labeling in 26 sushi restaurants in Los Angeles over 4 years. Seafood from 3 high-end grocery stores were also sampled ( n = 16) in 2014. We ordered 9 common sushi fish from menus, preserved tissue samples in 95% ethanol, extracted the genomic DNA, amplified and sequenced a portion of the mtDNA COI gene, and identified the resulting sequence to known fish sequences from the National Center for Biotechnology Information nucleotide database. We compared DNA results with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) list of acceptable market names and retail names. We considered sushi-sample labels that were inconsistent with FDA names mislabeled. Sushi restaurants had a consistently high percentage of mislabeling (47%; 151 of 323) from 2012 to 2015, yet mislabeling was not homogenous across species. Halibut, red snapper, yellowfin tuna, and yellowtail had consistently high (<77%) occurrences of mislabeling on menus, whereas mislabeling of salmon and mackerel were typically low (>15%). All sampled sushi restaurants had at least one case of mislabeling. Mislabeling of sushi-grade fish from high-end grocery stores was also identified in red snapper, yellowfin tuna, and yellowtail, but at a slightly lower frequency (42%) than sushi restaurants. Despite increased regulatory measures and media attention, we found seafood mislabeling continues to be prevalent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to develop an accurate, robust and rapid HPLC-MS/MS-based method capable of quantifying acrylamide and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) simultaneously. A Phenomenex Synergi Fusion-RP C 18 column (50 mm × 2.5 mm, 2 μm) was used, and the MS/MS instrument was operated in multiple reaction monitoring mode. The isotope dilution method was used to correct for the matrix effect from samples. This method demonstrated low limits of quantification (2.12 ng/mL for acrylamide and 4.86 ng/mL for HMF) and excellent linearity (R 2 > 0.999). This method also demonstrated excellent quantification accuracy, precision, and recovery (87–110%). Using the method developed, target analytes were quantified in 14 thermally-processed seafood samples. Resulting concentrations ranged from 5.58 to 50.35 μg/kg for acrylamide, and from 12.54 to 2276.44 μg/kg for HMF. The proposed isotope dilution HPLC-MS/MS method is a valid and rapid technique for simultaneous analysis of acrylamide and HMF in seafood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High consumption of phosphates, particularly added inorganic phosphates, may be associated with several health problems and so comprehensive data on their content in food, especially seafood, is of utmost importance. This work aimed to characterize phosphates contents in seafood products from the Portuguese market. Almost 900 samples of unprocessed and processed species of crustaceans, molluscs, and fish were analyzed at the Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere over a 15 years’ time period. Considering processed products, crab sticks presented the lowest average values of total phosphates, while salted and dry cod, hake and shrimp evidenced the highest variations. Phosphates contents in unprocessed samples varied among species, being the lowest and highest average values observed for octopus and sardine, respectively. New reference phosphate limits were defined which permits verifying if the legislation is followed with respect to phosphates added to seafood. Moreover, the reference conversion factor is not adequate for seafood, and thus new factors were proposed. Overall, the addition of phosphates has not been a current practice. Nevertheless, for an easier control and to avoid the need of laborious sampling to establish natural phosphates levels, it would be more appropriate to define limits with respect to total phosphates contents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]