The potentially deadly PSP toxin has been discovered in shellfish.
Shellfish lovers in Fife have been warned not to eat clams and mussels after it was discovered they could be potentially deadly.
The paralytic shellfish poisoning toxin (PSP) was found in surf clams in the Anstruther and Pittenweem area during routine testing.
If high levels of the toxin are eaten, paralysis of the muscles used for breathing can in extreme situations lead to death.
Fishing of the clams in and around the area has been halted, with warning signs erected, and a Fife Council spokesperson said steps were being taken “to trace and destroy affected product”.
The public are being warned that other species such as
mussels are also likely to be affected and should not be picked from beaches in the area. Care should also be taken to remove the guts from crabs before eating.
Roy Stewart, Fife Council’s protective services senior manager, said: “The presence of PSP in shellfish naturally occurs from time to time. It is essential that until levels return to safe, none of these shellfish is eaten.”
Symptoms of PSP begin with tingling of the lips and tongue followed by tingling fingers and toes, loss of control of arms and legs and difficulty breathing or swallowing.
