title: Basis for a new procedure to eliminate diarrheic shellfish toxins from a contaminated matrix.
abstract: The natural contamination of shellfish with diarrheic shellfish toxins (DSP) has important public health implications. To avoid the economic effects of toxic episodes on shellfish farmers and the related industry, research on artificial methods alternative to the natural detoxification of shellfish is needed. Because the usual thermal processes are not efficient, alternative technologies have to be studied. Here preliminary results are presented about the lability of the DSP toxin okadaic acid in a supercritical atmosphere of carbon dioxide with acetic acid. Most of the toxin is eliminated (up to 90%), and the biological activity against its target enzyme is also severely affected (up to 70% reduction). Detoxification of contaminated shellfish requires a partial dehydration, and the detoxification yield is lower than that obtained with free toxin. Mass spectrometry experiments suggest that acetylation of the toxin molecule is not the basis of the inactivating mechanism, but a conformational change is suggested. This is the first report of the use of supercritical fluids to inactivate toxins.
authors.affiliation: Departamentos de Farmacología, Facultad de Veterinaria, 27002 Lugo, Spain.
authors.forename: José C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Olga I
authors.initials: OI
authors.lastname: Fontal
authors.forename: Mercedes R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Vieytes
authors.forename: Juan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Vieites
authors.forename: Luis M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Botana
mesh_terms: D019342:Acetic Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000737:chemistry*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000737:chemistry; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008387:Marine Toxins / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D019319:Okadaic Acid / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D012758:Shellfish / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D008387:Marine Toxins; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D019319:Okadaic Acid; D019342:Acetic Acid