Scotland’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) is calling for views on shellfish toxin management in a bid to reduce the frequency of shellfish poisoning, local media reports.
It's thought that while Scotland has some of the microbiologically cleanest waters in Europe, shellfish are susceptible to naturally-occurring algal toxins and there have been two confirmed outbreaks of shellfish poisoning resulting from the consumption of product originating from Scotland in the last 10 years.
Apparently, in both cases, more than 70 people reported symptoms consistent with diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP), which the FSA says could have been avoided had better risk management strategies been adopted.
Following a DSP outbreak last year, the FSA is said to have made a pledge to ensure that appropriate guidance is made available to local authorities and food businesses by April.
It's understood that its aim is to provide an easy-to-follow risk management tool that will allow businesses to manage the toxin risks associated with their product and to help prevent outbreaks associated with shellfish toxins from Scottish bivalves occurring in the future.
It's thought the guidance will be piloted in Scotland in 2014 and wider application in other UK countries will be considered in due course.
