Dar seafood ppp standard

Food safety risks due to cephalopod molluscs

The hazards associated with cephalopod molluscs through the production and processing supply chain (Appendix 1) may be grouped as follows:

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  Endogenous bacteria that are human pathogens (A. hydrophila, V. parahaemolyticus, V. vulnificus, non-toxigenic V. cholerae O1, helminthic parasites).
  

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  Pathogens introduced through pollution or post-harvest contamination (E. coli, S. aureus, Salmonella spp., Campylobacter spp., Shigella spp., Yersinia spp., L. monocytogenes, hepatitis A virus, Noroviruses).
  

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  Environmental chemical contaminants/toxicants (mercury, cadmium).
  

The severity of illness caused by these hazards (Table 3) ranges from moderate (for example, V. parahaemolyticus, noroviruses), through to serious (for example, L. monocytogenes, hepatitis A virus). Some of the hazards are considered severe only for certain susceptible populations (for example, L. monocytogenes, hepatitis A virus). However, the relative risk ranking estimates below are determined for the general population, unless otherwise specified.

Data from the National Nutrition Survey of 1995 indicate that squid, octopus and other cephalopods (combined) are eaten about 75 per cent as often as oysters and other bivalves, and that serving portions are of similar size (Appendix 3). Approximately 80 per cent is imported product [43]. Cephalopod molluscs are therefore considered a food group occasionally eaten by a small proportion of the population. On this basis, the limited size of the consuming population must be considered along with evidence of the potential for a hazard to be present at an infectious or toxigenic level in estimating the likelihood of adverse health effects for the general population. In addition, and in contrast to oysters, squid, octopus and cuttlefish are normally cooked, at least lightly, prior to consumption, which will reduce the likelihood of adverse health effects from bacterial hazards.
Adverse health effects due to each of the hazards identified in Appendix 1 is considered unlikely, as discussed briefly below.