Dar seafood ppp standard

Likelihood of adverse health effects: Likely

Wax esters: Several outbreaks of food-borne illness due to indigestible wax esters present in some fish species (particularly escolar and oilfish) have been reported in Australia in recent times (Appendix 2; [50–53]). It is likely that this usually fairly mild adverse reaction is significantly under-reported in the epidemiological datasets [50]. Instances of escolar food poisoning tend to be sporadic cases or outbreaks involving only a small number of people, as evidenced in reports of up to 88 cases (41 incidents) in South Australia in the period 1997–99 (Delroy, personal communication). Some of these cases involved misnaming of escolar as, for example, rudderfish or butterfish.
Histamine: Time–temperature abuse during transport, processing, storage or display will potentially allow formation of histamine. Scombroid species of fish, which have high levels of histidine, are more likely to accumulate high concentrations of histamine under conditions of temperature abuse, but many non-scombroid species have been involved in outbreaks of histamine fish poisoning. Data from testing of samples at retail (Appendix 4) and results from testing of imported fish products (Appendix 1) indicate a low concentration of histamine in whole fish and fillets available in Australia. However, epidemiological data (Appendix 2) show a significant number of outbreaks in commercial and restaurant settings, indicating potential problems in the cold chain (time–temperature abuse). Tuna, blue grenadier and mahi mahi have been identified as species involved in these outbreaks.
Ciguatoxin: Ciguatoxins are responsible for many outbreaks of food-borne illness due to fish consumption in Australia. In the period 1995 to June 2002, outbreaks were recorded in all states except South Australia and Tasmania. Queensland and New South Wales accounted for the great majority of the outbreaks, reflecting both the linkage of the disease with fish caught near tropical reefs in Queensland and the role of Sydney as a hub of marketing for seafood on the east coast. A number of fish species were involved, with coral trout, queenfish, Spanish mackerel and cod species predominant.
In contrast to histamine fish poisoning, ciguatera outbreaks have predominantly been in the private residence setting (Appendix 2). This partly reflects the role of recreational fishing around reefs as a risk factor, and may also indicate the effectiveness of voluntary restrictions on marketing of larger specimens of known ciguatoxic fish species. However, epidemiological data reported in the National Risk Validation Project final report [19] indicate that a significant proportion of the outbreaks due to fish eaten in private residences were caused by fish purchased at retail markets.