MONITORING OF CLASSIFIED GREEK PRODUCTION AREAS FOR LIVE BIVALVE MOLLUSCS FOR THE PRESENCE OF MARINE BIOTOXINS AND TOXIN-PRODUCING PLANKTON FOR THE PERIOD 2008-2010

摘要

Regulation 854/2004/EC is the legislative background determing the classification and the monitoring of production areas for Live Bivalve Molluscs (LBM). The competent Greek veterinary authorities have to monitor the classified production areas in order to ensure that products which are dangerous for public health are not traded. According to the above mentioned legislation, a sampling program must be established in the production areas with a number of samples, a geographical distribution of the sampling points and a sampling frequency which must ensure that the results of the analysis are as representative as possible for the area considered. Among others, this program must include sampling for marine biotoxins in LBM (lipophilic, ASP and PSP toxins) and for the presence of toxin-producing plankton in the water. Purpose of the present study is the presentation of the laboratory results for the presence of marine biotoxins and toxin-producing plankton in classified production areas for LBM during the three-year period 2008-2010. The evaluation of these results can lead to important conclusions relating to the implementation of an effective monitoring program in the sector of LBM hygiene in order to prevent a potential food crisis.