Toxic shellfish found in Bay of Plenty, warning issued

Kaimoana lovers should avoid shellfish, including tuatua, gathered between Mount Maunganui and Whakatāne until further notice. Photo / NZME

Unsafe levels of a deadly biotoxin have been found in Bay of Plenty shellfish.

New Zealand Food Safety has issued a public health warning advising people not to collect or eat shellfish gathered from the coast between Mount Maunganui and Whakatāne.

Agency deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle said in a statement routine testing had shown “levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning toxin over the safe limit”.

“Please do not gather and eat shellfish from this area because anyone doing so could get sick.”

The agency had not been notified of anyone falling ill.

Mussels, oysters, tuatua, pipi, toheroa, cockles and scallops, as well as pūpū (cat’s eyes) and Cook’s turban were all affected.

Arbuckle said cooking would not remove the toxin.

Pāua, crab and crayfish may still be eaten if the gut was completely removed before cooking as toxins accumulate in the gut.

If the gut was not removed, its contents could contaminate the meat during the cooking process.

Finfish were not included in the warning, but people were advised to gut the fish and discard the liver before cooking.

The warning only applied to recreationally collected shellfish.

People are advised not to eat shellfish collected between Mount Maunganui and Whakatāne. Image / NZ Food Safety

Strict water and flesh monitoring programmes applied to commercially harvested shellfish available in shops and supermarkets to ensure it was safe to eat.

Arbuckle said the toxin was linked to an algal bloom that was spreading in the region.

“This type of algae produces a dangerous toxin and when shellfish filter-feed, these toxins can accumulate in their gut and flesh.

“Generally, the more algae there are in the water, the more toxic the shellfish get.”

He said New Zealand Food Safety was monitoring the bloom and shellfish in the region and would notify the public if the situation changed.

Symptoms of paralytic shellfish poisoning

Symptoms of paralytic shellfish poisoning usually appeared within 10 minutes to three hours of eating and may include:

• numbness and a tingling (prickly feeling) around the mouth, face, hands and feet
• difficulty swallowing or breathing
• dizziness and headache
• nausea and vomiting
• diarrhoea
• paralysis and respiratory failure and, in severe cases, death.

Anyone who became ill after eating shellfish from an area where a public health warning had been issued should phone Healthline for advice on 0800 61 11 16, or seek medical attention immediately.

It was also advised to contact the nearest public health unit and keep any leftover shellfish for possible testing.