Molluscan shellfish
Molluscan shellfish, specifically oysters, scallops and pipis, have been implicated in several outbreaks of food-borne illness in Australia in the period 1995 to June 2002 (outbreak data are at Appendix 2). The hazards involved have included viruses (noroviruses and hepatitis A), algal biotoxins (diarrhoeic shellfish poisons in pipis) and bacteria (Salmonella serovars).
The Imported Foods Inspection Scheme, coordinated by the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service, tests a large number of samples of seafood entering Australia each year. In the period 1998 to June 2003 (inclusive), failures were recorded for imported molluscs tested for E. coli, the Standard Plate Count (as an indicator of hygienic food preparation and handling), Salmonella, L. monocytogenes and mercury. No failures were recorded in tests for domoic acid (causes amnesic shellfish poisoning), paralytic shellfish poison, staphylococcal enterotoxin, V. parahaemolyticus, cadmium or arsenic (Table 1.1).
Table 1.1: Significant imported foods testing failures for molluscs, 1998–2003*
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