Heads up, oyster and clam lovers: health officials in B.C. have issued an alert related to consuming shellfish in the province due to warming temperatures.
“As temperatures increase during the warmer months, microorganisms that occur naturally in coastal waters can increase, and may accumulate in shellfish,” said the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC), in a statement.
The BCCDC says that the harmful toxins are most frequently found in shellfish like mussels, clams, oysters, scallops, and crabs. But, consumers of cockles, whelks (sea snails), prawns, squid, and other shellfish that feed on plankton should be warned that these shellfish can also contain those toxins.
“B.C.’s Drug and Poison Information Centre often sees an increase in calls during summer months for illnesses due to these types of toxins,” said the BCCDC.
Eating contaminated shellfish can lead to illnesses like paralytic shellfish poisoning, diarrhetic shellfish poisoning and amnesic shellfish poisoning.
The BCCDC also says that cooking will not eliminate these toxins in every case, and it adds that symptoms will often begin minutes to hours after eating contaminated shellfish. In some cases, symptoms can be experienced 24 to 48 hours later.
Paralysis caused by shellfish toxins can be fatal.
If you feel tingling, numbness that spreads past the lips and mouth, increasing weakness, or difficulty walking or swallowing after eating shellfish, the BCCDC says to call 911 or visit the nearest emergency room.
For anyone experiencing diarrhea, vomiting, or abdominal cramping, BCCDC advises calling the Drug and Poison Information Centre at 1-800-567-8911, HealthLink BC at 811, or visiting a health-care professional.
In 2019, there was a major food recall for certain Pacific oysters that impacted B.C. residents due to the risk of paralytic shellfish poisoning.
The BCCDC also has some advice for residents, including to only eat cooked shellfish.
“Cooking destroys viruses and bacteria and [decreases] the risk of gastrointestinal illness. To ensure adequate cooking, cook to an internal temperature of 90°C for at least 90 seconds,” it says.
It also doesn’t recommend cooking crabs whole, adding that consumers should split the crabs and remove gut contents before boiling.
And of course, wash your hands.