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Health Canada Advises That
Some Cultured Mussels Sold in Chaleur Bay Region
of Quebed May Contain Paralytic Shellfish Toxin.
June 16, 2006
The Canadian Food Inspection
Agency (CFIA) is advising the public not to consume
certain cultured mussels sold in the Chaleur Bay
region of Quebec. These mussels may contain paralytic
shellfish toxins that can cause illness if consumed.
The affected product was sold from
the following stores:
- Poissonnerie La Coquille, 277
Route 132 Ouest, Caplan (Québec).
- Marché L.V. Métro
Carleton Ltée, 686 boulevard Perron,
Carleton (Québec).
- Marché COOP IGA MARIA,
524 boulevard Perron, Maria (Québec).
These mussels, also known as Blue
Mussels, were harvested on June 14 from aquaculture
sites G-04.3E and G-04.7E in the Cascapédia
Bay, Carleton, Quebec.
The affected mussels were sold only
in Quebec. The distributer is voluntarily recalling
the affected product from the marketplace. The
CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.
Mussels from any other store, harvest
dates or areas are not affected by this alert.
There have been no reported cases
of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) associated
with the consumption of these mussels.
Paralytic shellfish biotoxins are
a group of natural toxins that sometimes accumulate
in fish and shellfish. These biotoxins can cause
PSP if consumed. Symptoms of PSP include tingling
and numbness of the lips, tongue, hands and feet,
and difficulty swallowing. In severe situations
this can proceed to difficulty walking, muscle
paralysis, respiratory paralysis and death in
as quickly as 12 hours.
The food safety fact sheet on Paralytic
Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) can be viewed at:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/concen/cause/pspe.shtml
For more information, consumers
and industry can call the CFIA at 1 800 442-2342
/ TTY 1 800 465-7735 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern
time, Monday to Friday).
For information on receiving recalls
by electronic mail, or for other food safety facts,
visit our web site at www.inspection.gc.ca.
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