A process for detoxification of shellfish contaminated with paralytic toxins

• Main Authors: LOPEZ, CLAUDIA, BLAMEY, JENNY, LAGOS, NESTOR, HINRICHSEN, JUAN PABLO, RUTMAN, MAX, CHIONG, MARIO, PAZ OCARANZA, MARIA
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French; German
• Published: 04.03.1998
• 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

The invention relates to process for detoxifying shellfish contaminated with paralytic toxin, whereby decontamination is achieved by an industrial process that involves a chemical treatment of shellfish, the chemical treatment consisting in cooking the shellfish in an alkaline pH solution. This treatment could be combined with one or several other processes aimed to the reduction of the product final toxicity, for example partial shellfish detoxification by depuration, removal of the most toxic parts, and commercial cooking/canning. This procedure succeeds in reducing total toxicity level of shellfish to values lower than 80 ug of eq. STX/ 100 g shellfish, independently of the toxin profile or initial toxicity present in the shellfish.