Food warning: Area of potentially toxic shellfish in Hawke’s Bay extended

New Zealand Food Safety has extended its warning not to collect shellfish from the northern Hawke's Bay coastline.

New Zealand Food Safety (NZFS) has extended its warning to the public not to collect or consume shellfish from along much of the Hawke’s Bay coastline due to unsafe levels of toxins.

NZFS issued an advisery for this region on November 1 recommending shellfish not to be gathered within an area from Cape Kidnappers north to the Mohaka River.

That warning now stretches from Cape Kidnappers right up to East Cape.

The latest results following testing of mussels from Tolaga Bay led NZFS to declare the levels of paralytic shellfish toxins has risen “dramatically’' and are now “11 times over the safe limit”.

“Cooking shellfish does not remove the toxin, so shellfish from these areas should not be eaten,” NZFS deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle said.

Symptoms of paralytic shellfish poisoning usually appear within a window of 10 minutes to three hours after eating and include: numbness and a tingling feeling around the mouth, hands and feet; difficulty swallowing or breathing; dizziness and headaches; nausea and vomiting; diarrhoea; paralysis and respiratory failure; and, in severe cases, death.

NZFS advises that pāua, crabs and crayfish may still be eaten if the gut has been completely removed prior to cooking. If the gut is not removed, its contents can contaminate the meat.

Anyone feeling ill after eating shellfish from within the affected area of coastline should seek immediate medical attention.

“New Zealand Food Safety is monitoring shellfish in the region and will notify the public of any changes to the situation,” Arbuckle said.