Ciguatoxin Detection in Flesh and Liver of Relevant Fish Species from the Canary Islands
María José Ramos-Sosa,
Natalia García-Álvarez,
Andres Sanchez-Henao,
Freddy Silva Sergent,
Daniel Padilla,
Pablo Estévez,
María José Caballero,
José Luís Martín-Barrasa,
Ana Gago-Martínez,
Jorge Diogène,
Fernando Real
Affiliations
María José Ramos-Sosa
Division of Fish Health and Pathology, University Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35416 Arucas, Spain
Natalia García-Álvarez
Division of Fish Health and Pathology, University Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35416 Arucas, Spain
Andres Sanchez-Henao
Division of Fish Health and Pathology, University Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35416 Arucas, Spain
Freddy Silva Sergent
Division of Fish Health and Pathology, University Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35416 Arucas, Spain
Daniel Padilla
Division of Fish Health and Pathology, University Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35416 Arucas, Spain
Pablo Estévez
Biomedical Research Center (CINBIO), Analytical and Food Chemistry Department, University of Vigo, Campus Universitario, 36310 Vigo, Spain
María José Caballero
Division of Fish Health and Pathology, University Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35416 Arucas, Spain
José Luís Martín-Barrasa
Division of Fish Health and Pathology, University Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35416 Arucas, Spain
Ana Gago-Martínez
Biomedical Research Center (CINBIO), Analytical and Food Chemistry Department, University of Vigo, Campus Universitario, 36310 Vigo, Spain
Jorge Diogène
Marine and Continental Waters Programme, Institut de Recerca i Tecnologies Agroalimentàries (IRTA), Ctra. Poble Nou, km. 5.5, 43540 Sant Carles de la Ràpita, Spain
Fernando Real
Division of Fish Health and Pathology, University Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35416 Arucas, Spain
The Canary Islands are a ciguatoxin (CTX) hotspot with an established official monitoring for the detection of CTX in fish flesh from the authorised points of first sale. Fish caught by recreational fishermen are not officially tested and the consumption of toxic viscera or flesh could lead to ciguatera poisoning (CP). The objectives of this study were to determine the presence of CTX-like toxicity in relevant species from this archipelago, compare CTX levels in liver and flesh and examine possible factors involved in their toxicity. Sixty amberjack (Seriola spp.), 27 dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus), 11 black moray eels (Muraena helena) and 11 common two-banded seabream (Diplodus vulgaris) were analysed by cell-based assay (CBA) and Caribbean ciguatoxin-1 (C-CTX1) was detected by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in all these species. Most of the liver displayed higher CTX levels than flesh and even individuals without detectable CTX in flesh exhibited hepatic toxicity. Black moray eels stand out for the large difference between CTX concentration in both tissues. None of the specimens with non-toxic liver showed toxicity in flesh. This is the first evidence of the presence of C-CTX1 in the common two-banded seabream and the first report of toxicity comparison between liver and muscle from relevant fish species captured in the Canary Islands.
