Fish and shellfish
Ciguatera poisoning
In ciguatera poisoning, the toxic ingredient is ciguatoxin, produced by certain algae and similar organisms. Small fish that eat the algae are contaminated, and if a larger fish eats a lot of contaminated small fish, the toxin can build up to dangerous levels, which can make you sick if you eat the fish. Ciguatoxin is "heat stable," which means that it resists cooking.
Ciguatera poisoning usually occurs frequently in fish such as sea bass and grouper. Symptoms of ciguatera poisoning can occur at any time from 2 to 12 hours after eating the fish and are: abdominal pain, severe and watery diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. After these first symptoms, a metallic taste appears in the mouth, headaches, and the person feels reverse hot and cold temperatures (cold feels like it burns the skin and hot feels cold).
Scombroid poisoning
In scombroid poisoning, the toxic ingredient is histamine. The bacteria in these fish create large amounts of this toxin after the fish dies if it is not refrigerated or frozen immediately. Scombroid poisoning generally occurs in dark-fleshed fish such as tuna, mackerel, and bonito.
The symptoms of scombroid poisoning generally occur immediately after consuming the fish and can be: redness of the face, flushing, hives, nausea, vomiting and, in severe cases, respiratory problems.
Seafood poisoning
In shellfish poisoning, the toxic ingredients are toxins produced by algae-like organisms called dinoflagellates, which accumulate in these animals. There are different types of shellfish poisoning:
1.- Paralytic shellfish poisoning: Approximately 30 minutes after consuming contaminated seafood, numbness or tingling may occur in the mouth and may spread to the arms and legs. It can be accompanied by dizziness, headache, and temporary paralysis of the arms and legs. Some people may also have nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, although these symptoms are much less common.
2.- Neurotoxic shellfish poisoning: The symptoms are very similar to ciguatera poisoning. After eating clams or mussels, the person experiences nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. These symptoms are quickly followed by strange sensations such as numbness or tingling in the mouth, headache, dizziness, as well as change in hot and cold temperatures.
3.- Amnesic shellfish poisoning: It is a strange and rare form of poisoning that begins with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, followed by a loss of memory for a short period.
(Updated at Apr 14 / 2024)