Seafood Toxins - Red Tide

Various toxins in fish and shellfish may pose a hazard when seafood are eaten. Shellfish feed on dinoflagellates, small marine animals that are responsible for illnesses associated with paralytic shellfish poisoning, neurotoxic shellfish poisoning, and diarrheic shellfish poisoning. Read more »

Histamine Food Poisoning

Excessive histamine accumulation in tuna, tuna-like fish, mahi-mahi, and bluefish, which can occur when the fish have not been chilled immediately after being caught, Read more »

Pufferfish Poisoning

One of the most violent poisonings originating from seafood occurs when the liver, gonads, intestines, and/or skin of the pufferfish are consumed. These organs contain tetrodotoxin, the consumption of which results in a mortality rate of 50 percent. Read more »

Ciguatera Fish Poisoning

This is the most common form of toxin-related food poisoning in the United States. It is caused by eating fish that contain a ciguatoxin. The toxin has been found in over 400 varieties of fish, with fish from tropical waters being particularly suspect. Read more »

Natural Toxicants

Certain plants and animals contain natural toxins, which when consumed result in side effects ranging from mild gastrointestinal problems to death. Read more »

Protozoa

The simplest type of animal, consisting of just one cell, protozoa most frequently infect humans through contaminated water. About 30 different types of protozoa are parasites in humans, but the three related to food safety are Giardia, Cryptosporidium, and Cyclospora. Read more »

Herring Worms and Codworms

Anisakis simplex (herring worm) and Pseudoterranova dicipiens (codworm) infections are brought on by the consumption of contaminated raw fish. Even though there are only about 10 known cases a year, many cases are believed to go unreported. The fish species common in North America that might carry these worms include Pacific red snapper, Pacific salmon, and Atlantic cod. Read more »

Trichinclla spiralis

Parasites infect people in many parts of the world, but in the United States, fewer than 500 cases of parasitic infection are reported each year. Two of the common foodborne parasites are roundworms and protozoa. Read more »

Viruses are the simplest organisms in nature. These microorganisms have been identified as causal agents in about 3 to 10 percent of foodborne illnesses. All foodborne viruses are transmitted via the oral-fecal route. In other words, they are shed in the feces and infect another person by being ingested in some way. Read more »

Molds

Unlike bacteria, molds are visible, exhibiting bloom on affected foods. This bloom can be white, black, or some other color. Molds thrive at room temperatures and need less moisture than bacteria. Breads are particularly susceptible to molds. Molds may tolerate high sugar and salt concentrations and may be seen on jams and jellies, and on salty meats such as ham, bacon, and salami. Read more »