Monitor the presence of contaminants in shellfish
ANSES, via its Maisons-Alfort laboratory (food safety) and in particular its Boulogne-sur-Mer site (fishery products), holds National Reference Laboratory (NRL) mandates in connection with the sanitary quality of shellfish. These include, in particular, mandates relating to biotoxines marinesheavy metals and molecular characterization of strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus.
As such, this laboratory:
- develops contaminant detection methods and tools biological (Vibrio sp), chemicals (heavy metals), and marine biotoxins in shellfish;
- carries out studies and research aimed at better know the contamination of foodstuffs and to contribute to better risk assessment: contamination of seafood products by emerging marine biotoxins, Arcachon national research project, etc.;
This laboratory provides scientific and technical support to risk managers and the Risk Assessment Department for the development of recommendations on the organization of phycotoxin, microbiological and chemical monitoring systems and devices production areas, products on the market and recreational fishing areas. In particular, the Agency published a report in September 2010 making recommendations for improving control of the risk of contamination of marine shellfish by the hepatitis A virus.
Assess the risks to human health associated with the consumption of shellfish
The Agency assesses risks to human health related to the presence in shellfish of chemical contaminants (cadmium), phycotoxins or micro-organisms (bacteria of the genus Photobacterium, Vibrioparahaemolyticus; parasites of the genus CryptosporidiumGiardia, hepatitis A virus, norovirus, other pathogens transmissible to humans through food, etc.).
In addition, the Agency conducts studies to find out consumer exposureincluding high consumers of seafood, trace elements and persistent organic pollutants, via the total diet study and the Calipso study.
Protect shellfish health
In a context of excess summer mortality of cupped oysters on the metropolitan coast since 2008, the Agency issued a series of opinions on the zoo-sanitary risk linked to the reimmersion of spat (natural or hatchery) in the environment as well as than the resumption of exports or intra-Community trade in oysters. In April 2010, it concluded that the herpes virus OsHV-1 µvar played a preponderant role in episodes of excess mortality. The Agency is issuing recommendations aimed at limiting the risk of new episodes occurring as well as the contamination of areas that are still unaffected.
