PROCEDURE FOR DETOXIFICATION OF SHELLFISH, CONTAMINATED WITH PARALYTIC SHELLFISH TOXINS

• Main Authors: LAGOS, NESTOR, BLAMEY, JENNY M, HINRICHSEN, JUAN PABLO, RUTMAN, MAX, OCARANZA, MARIA PAZ, LOPEZ, CLAUDIA X, CHIONG, MARIO M
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 28.02.1998
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BYSUBCLASSES A23B - A23J; HUMAN NECESSITIES; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OFNUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; THEIR TREATMENT, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES

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.