| abstract |
This invention relates to a process for detoxifying shellfish contaminated with paralytic toxin. Decontamination is achieved through a process involving the chemical treatment of shellfish. This chemical treatment consists of cooking theshellfish in an alkaline pH solution. This treatment can be combined with one or more other procedures for the reduction of the products' final toxicity, these other procedures including, for example, partial shellfish detoxification by depuration, removal of the most toxic parts, and commercial cooking/canning of the shellfish. The process reduces total toxicity levels in shellfish to values below 80 ug of eq. STX/100 g of shellfish, independently of the toxin profile, or of the initial toxicity present in the shellfish. |