Biotoxins - Myths & Misconceptions

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What do you know about the biotoxins Paralytic Shellfish Poison (PSP) and Amnesic Shellfish Poison (ASP)? Does your knowledge contain myths?  Misconceptions?  Take this quiz to find out. 

1.  PSP is only present in red or muddy colored water.

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  Misconception. Try again!
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  Right!  PSP is often associated with the term "red tide", which is misleading.  Red or muddy colored water is no indication of PSP.  Occasionally the water is red when PSP levels are high; there is a type of toxic algae that turns water a reddish color.  However, most of the red-colored algae in Washington are not toxic.  The fact is, high levels of toxin can be present in water that is crystal clear. 

2.  Toxic shellfish look different than non-toxic shellfish.  

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   Myth. Try again!
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  You're right!  There are no visual clues to tell you when shellfish are toxic.  They look exactly the same as shellfish that are safe to eat.

3.  A good test to see if shellfish are toxic is to touch one to your tongue.  If your tongue tingles, it's toxic.  If it doesn't, it's ok to eat.

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  Say it out loud:  "Wrong, Wrong, Wrong!"  This is a dangerous myth.
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  Correct!  This is not a reliable test, in fact it's a very risky practice.  If your tongue doesn't tingle, the shellfish can still contain high enough levels of toxin to make you sick.  If your tongue does tingle, the shellfish is extremely toxic and you may have just made yourself seriously ill.  Please don't try this!

4.  If I develop symptoms of biotoxin poisoning*, I shouldn't worry too much.  Antidotes are readily available.

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  Myth. Try again!
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  Correct! There are no antidotes for shellfish biotoxin poisoning.  The only treatment for severe cases is to be placed on life support systems (such as a ventilator) until the toxin passes from your system.  This is why it's so important to call 911 or your health care provider if you have symptoms of PSP or ASP.  Time is of the essence.  Deaths have occurred from PSP in less than thirty minutes.

 (* Not sure of the symptoms of biotoxin poisoning? See our PSP and ASP pages.)

5.  I should view the Biotoxin Bulletin or call the Biotoxin Hotline a few days before I go to the beach to make sure the area is safe to harvest shellfish.

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  Misconception. Guess again!
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  Correct!  Check these resources just before harvesting to be sure the area you're going to is safe. Biotoxin levels can change rapidly, and there can be several closures in the course of one day.  (Okay, we admit this was a trick question.)

6.  Before digging shellfish, you should call the county health department.

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  Correct! The county where you're planning to dig will have current information on beaches closed for pollution or other problems.
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  Sorry.  Guess again!

7.  You know shellfish are safe to eat if you see seagulls or other wildlife eating them and they don't look sick or have any symptoms.

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  Myth. Guess again!
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  Correct!  The tolerance level for biotoxins in wildlife species is not known.  Observing birds or other animals that have eaten shellfish will not tell you if the shellfish are safe to eat.

8.  Cooking shellfish in boiling water will remove toxins, making them safe to eat.

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  Myth. Guess again!
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  That's right!  Biotoxins are not destroyed by cooking.  Only bacterial pathogens such as Vibrio are destroyed with proper cooking. 

9.  Biotoxins are related to water pollution.

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  Myth. Guess again!
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  That's right!  There is no correlation between biotoxins and pollution.  Biotoxins can be present in otherwise pristine waters, and even heavily polluted waters can be biotoxin-free. 

10. You should only harvest shellfish in months that have the letter "r".

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  Misconception. Guess again!
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  False?  Really?  Yes, really.  The fact is, shellfish can be toxic (or safe) at any time of the year.  In our state, there have been high levels of biotoxins in September, October, November...you get the idea.  And May, June, July, etc. are often completely safe for shellfish harvesting.

  

  This misconception was actually law at one time, first enacted by the 1719 legislature of New Jersey.  The law was passed in an attempt to address a spoilage issue.  In the warm summer months (those without an "r" in them), shellfish would spoil on the way to market because there was no refrigeration.  (Imagine horse-drawn oyster wagons heading to town on a hot summer day!)  Although modern refrigeration methods make the law obsolete, this misconception is still popular today.

   

Want more information on biotoxins and recreational shellfish harvesting? 

• Check our Biotoxin Program page
• Check  for recreational harvest conditions:
  • the Biotoxin Bulletin lists current closures by county
  • our clickable maps include closure information on individual recreational beaches
  • our biotoxin hotline 1-800-562-5632 has recorded closure information
  • call the local health department in the area you want to harvest
• Check the Recreational Shellfish Program page
• Call our office at (360) 236-3330