title: Comparative performance of four immunological test kits for the detection of Paralytic Shellfish Toxins in Tasmanian shellfish.
abstract: Blooms of the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense (Group 1) seriously impacted the Tasmanian shellfish industry during 2012 and 2015, necessitating product recalls and intensive paralytic shellfish toxin (PST) product testing. The performance of four commercial PST test kits, Abraxis™, Europroxima™, Scotia™ and Neogen™, was compared with the official AOAC LC-FLD method for contaminated mussels and oysters. Abraxis and Europroxima kits underestimated PST in 35-100% of samples when using standard protocols but quantification improved when concentrated extracts were further diluted (underestimation ≤18%). The Scotia kit (cut off 0.2-0.7 mg STX-diHCl eq/kg) delivered 0% false negatives, but 27% false positives. Neogen produced 5% false negatives and 13% false positives when the cut off was altered to 0.5-0.6 mg STX-diHCl eq/kg, the introduction of a conversion step eliminated false negatives. Based on their sensitivity, ease of use and performance, the Neogen kit proved the most suitable kit for use with Tasmanian mussels and oysters. Once formally validated for regulatory purposes, the Neogen kit could provide shellfish growers with a rapid tool for harvesting decisions at the farm gate. Effective rapid screening preventing compliant samples undergoing testing using the more expensive and time consuming LC-FLD method will result in significant savings in analytical costs.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 129, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia. Electronic address: Juan.DorantesAranda@utas.edu.au.
authors.forename: Juan José
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Dorantes-Aranda
authors.affiliation: Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, David Keir Building, Stranmillis Road, Belfast BT9 5AG, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Katrina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.affiliation: Advanced Analytical Australia Pty Ltd, 11 Julius Avenue, North Ryde, NSW 2113, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bradbury
authors.affiliation: Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, David Keir Building, Stranmillis Road, Belfast BT9 5AG, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Christopher T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.affiliation: Cawthron Institute, 98 Halifax St, Nelson 7010, New Zealand.
authors.forename: D Tim
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Harwood
authors.affiliation: Plant Functional Biology and Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney and Sydney Institute of Marine Sciences, Mosman, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Shauna A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.affiliation: Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 129, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia.
authors.forename: Sarah C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Ugalde
authors.affiliation: Tasmanian Shellfish Quality Assurance Program, Biosecurity Tasmania, Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, 13 St Johns Ave, New Town, Tasmania 7008, Australia.
authors.forename: Katrina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: Tasmanian Shellfish Quality Assurance Program, Biosecurity Tasmania, Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment, 13 St Johns Ave, New Town, Tasmania 7008, Australia.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Burgoyne
authors.affiliation: Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 129, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia.
authors.forename: Gustaaf M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Hallegraeff
mesh_terms: D004141:Dinoflagellida / Q000378:metabolism; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D064088:Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points / Q000379:methods*; D008387:Marine Toxins / Q000032:analysis*; D012758:Shellfish; D057096:Shellfish Poisoning / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013648:Tasmania
chemical_list: D008387:Marine Toxins
keywords: Alexandrium tamarense; Gonyautoxin 1&4; Immunological test kits; Paralytic Shellfish Toxins