Contamination of bivalve molluscs by Cryptosporidium oocysts: the need for new quality control standards

A yearlong study was carried out to investigate the presence and viability of Cryptosporidium oocysts in 203 samples of cultured shellfish from Galicia (NW Spain) and 38 samples imported from other European Union (EU) countries. Shellfish samples included mussels, oysters, clams and cockles. Cryptos...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of food microbiology 2003-10, Vol.87 (1-2), p.97-105
Main Authors: GOMEZ-COUSO, H, FREIRE-SANTOS, F, MARTINEZ-URTAZA, J, GARCIA-MARTIN, O, ARES-MAZIZAS, M. E
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Bivalvia
Consumer Product Safety
Cryptosporidium
Cryptosporidium - isolation & purification
Cryptosporidium - physiology
European Union
Fish and seafood industries
Food Contamination
Food industries
Food Parasitology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Mollusca - parasitology
Oocysts - growth & development
Quality Control
Seasons
Shellfish - parasitology
Shellfish - standards
Spain
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Summary:A yearlong study was carried out to investigate the presence and viability of Cryptosporidium oocysts in 203 samples of cultured shellfish from Galicia (NW Spain) and 38 samples imported from other European Union (EU) countries. Shellfish samples included mussels, oysters, clams and cockles. Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected, using a direct immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT), in 34.4% of the samples analyzed; use of the fluorogenic dye propidium iodide (PI) revealed viable potentially infective oocysts in 53.0% of these samples. There was no relation between the presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts and the microbiological contamination detected in the samples expressed as Most-Probable-Number (MPN) of fecal coliforms, the different species of mollusc, or the month of sampling. One important finding was that the depuration process was ineffective in totally removing oocyst contamination. Furthermore, the existence of viable oocysts in samples with microbiological contamination levels lower than 300 fecal coliforms/100 g, which in accordance with current legislation are considered suitable for human consumption, suggests the need to include parasitological analyses in the quality control for these molluscs.
ISSN:0168-1605
1879-3460
DOI:10.1016/S0168-1605(03)00057-6