Occurrence of harmful algal species and shellfish toxicity in Sardinia (Italy)


Submitted: 16 June 2016
Accepted: 29 August 2016
Published: 2 November 2016
Abstract Views: 1150
PDF: 489
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Authors

  • Anna Maria Bazzoni Institute for Experimental Veterinary Medicine of Sardinia, Sassari, Italy.
  • Alessandro Graziano Mudadu Institute for Experimental Veterinary Medicine of Sardinia, Sassari, Italy.
  • Giuseppa Lorenzoni Institute for Experimental Veterinary Medicine of Sardinia, Sassari, Italy.
  • Igor Arras Institute for Experimental Veterinary Medicine of Sardinia, Sassari, Italy.
  • Antonella Lugliè University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy.
  • Barbara Vivaldi Institute for Experimental Veterinary Medicine of Piedmont, Liguria and Valle D’Aosta, Genoa, Italy.
  • Valentina Cicotelli Institute for Experimental Veterinary Medicine of Piedmont, Liguria and Valle D’Aosta, Genoa, Italy.
  • Giovanna Sanna Institute for Experimental Veterinary Medicine of Sardinia, Sassari, Italy.
  • Giuseppe Tedde Institute for Experimental Veterinary Medicine of Sardinia, Sassari, Italy.
  • Salvatore Ledda Institute for Experimental Veterinary Medicine of Sardinia, Sassari, Italy.
  • Enrico Alesso Institute for Experimental Veterinary Medicine of Piedmont, Liguria and Valle D’Aosta, Genoa, Italy.
  • Edoardo Marongiu Institute for Experimental Veterinary Medicine of Sardinia, Sassari, Italy.
  • Sebastiano Virgilio Institute for Experimental Veterinary Medicine of Sardinia, Sassari, Italy.
Sardinia (Italy, north-western Mediterranean) is a commercially important producer of edible bivalve molluscs. Since the early 2000s, it was subjected to recurring cases of mussel farm closures due to toxic algal poison. Here, we present the studies on toxin concentrations and the associated potentially toxic phytoplankton distribution and abundances carried out by a regular monitoring programme in Sardinian shellfish areas, from January to May 2015. Diarrheic shellfish poisoning (DSP) toxins were detected in several bivalve molluscs samples, while paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) and paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins were present just once, without exceeding the legal limits. Potentially toxic algal species have been constantly present. Pseudo-nitzschia species were present during the entire study often with high abundances, while Dinophysis species reached high densities sporadically. Among PSP phytoplankton, only Alexandrium minutum Halim was found. The data obtained in this study showed an increase in the DSP toxicity in mussels in Sardinia. No clear relation between the occurrence of toxins in shellfish and the presence of potentially toxic algal species was found, although a slight correlation between DSP toxins and Dinophysis species could be supported.

1.
Bazzoni AM, Mudadu AG, Lorenzoni G, Arras I, Lugliè A, Vivaldi B, Cicotelli V, Sanna G, Tedde G, Ledda S, Alesso E, Marongiu E, Virgilio S. Occurrence of harmful algal species and shellfish toxicity in Sardinia (Italy). Ital J Food Safety [Internet]. 2016 Nov. 2 [cited 2024 Mar. 28];5(4). Available from: https://www.pagepressjournals.org/ijfs/article/view/6095

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