Filter-feeding mollusks, such as oysters, concentrate dinoflagellates and their toxins in their flesh due to the way they feed. When the shellfish are then eaten by humans, high doses of the toxins may be consumed. Humans are typically exposed to these potent natural toxins via filter-feeding mollusks (i.e., shellfish), because shellfish accumulate biotoxins in their flesh due to the way that they feed. Human exposure seems to be most common via consumption of commonly harvested shellfish such as clams, oysters, and mussels, although it has been proposed that exposure to lower levels of brevetoxins can take place following the consumption of certain planktivorous fish. Toxins will typically be found in the flesh of shellfish for up to 2–8 weeks following a HAB event, however there have been reports of toxin retention for nearly one year post-bloom. Notably, brevetoxins are tasteless and odorless and cannot be eradicated by rinsing, cleaning, cooking, freezing, or application of acid. To date, there is no reasonable means of preventing the uptake of toxins by shellfish, nor of removing the toxins from shellfish after harvest.
Neurotoxic shellfish poisoning
Amnesic shellfish poisoning
Paralytic shellfish poisoning
Diarrhetic shellfish poisoning
Scombroid food poisoning
Shellfish poisoning
Organophosphate poisoning
Ciguatera fish poisoning