Organism - Cucumaria frondosa

Marine biotoxins such as paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins have been reported as potentially present in several sea cucumber species worldwide (Dean et al. 2020; FDA 2022; Silva et al. 2018). The Canadian Shellfish Sanitation Program, administered by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) monitors, classifies and controls areas where filter-feeding bivalve molluscan shellfish are harvested. The objective of the monitoring program is to ensure shellfish harvest areas are placed in closed status when unacceptable biotoxin (paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxin, amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP) toxin, diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) toxin and pectenotoxins) levels are reached. The limits of these marine biotoxins in foods are also set out in Health Canada's Maximum Levels for Chemical Contaminants in Foods. Although sea cucumbers are not captured as part of the Canadian Shellfish Sanitation Program (CSSP), the potential for marine biotoxin accumulation in sea cucumbers exists. Confirmation is required to ensure that products containing sea cucumber are safe for human consumption where it has been harvested from waters with controls comparable to that in place under the CSSP and produced in compliance with the Safe Foods for Canadians Regulations.

USFDA_F_HAZ_CON_2022