Identification of species and paralytic shellfish poisons in an unknown scallop meat implicated in food poisoning in Taiwan

Abstract

A paralytic shellfish poisoning caused by meat from an unknown scallop occurred in South Taiwan. Scallop meat residue retained by the victim was assayed for toxicity and mitochondrial DNA. The scallop meat toxin was of low concentration and identified by HPLC-FLD as saxitoxin. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of the unknown scallop meat was determined and PCR-RFLP analyses of the meat were completed. When compared with the well-known scallop species Atrina pectinata, Amusium pleuronectes and Mizuhopecten yessoensis, the 16S rRNA gene sequence and PCR-RFLP analyses showed a match with Atrina pectinata. This is the first report in which the scallop Atrina pectinata has been found to contain saxitoxin and to have caused a food poisoning incident.