44
D. Medina et al.
years, the program expanded to include the monitoring of the lipophilic group and
ASP biotoxins (shellfish monitoring program). These molluscs are principally for
domestic consumption, due to the small volumes harvested.
There is also a control program for molluscs for export, specifically for the clam
Pitar rostrata, which comprises bacteriological, chemical and parasitological analysis, as well as the harvest area classification. Microbiological and phytoplankton
analysis of the water were added to the control program in order to determine the
presence of potential toxic algae, and the microbiological quality of the water; toxin
analysis for PSP, ASP, and the DSP complex in the molluscs are also done. In 2000,
three harvest zones located at three different depths (from 10 to 70 m) and more
than 6 nautical miles offshore in the Atlantic Ocean were defined for the clam Pitar
rostrata. It was the beginning of the microbiological studies of both water and clams
for area classification, the determination of marine biotoxins and phytoplankton,
and the control of chemical contaminants, as required by the EU regulation. To
date, neither PSP, DSP complex, or ASP toxins, have been detected by the mouse
bioassay (for the first 2 toxins) or HPLC method (for the latter) when monitoring
clams from these areas.
The MPN standard ISO/TS 166493: 2005 is applied for enumeration of E.coli
in the classification of the harvest areas, which are classified as “A” (<230
E.coli/100 g) zones (DINARA’s microbiological analysis area). Heavy metal contaminants, such as cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg), are determined
by the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) method (DINARA’s chemical instrumental area) (14). Phytoplankton is monitored using qualitative and
quantitative methods (DINARA’s phytoplankton laboratory). With respect to the
parasitological studies, the presence of the parasite Perkinsus atlanticus was
determined in the clam Pitar rostrata (Fisheries Research Institute of the Faculty
of Veterinary).
In January of 2002, an EC Decision authorized the export of frozen clams
to the EU. Since the FVO mission of 2004, Uruguay has been permitted to
export live bivalve molluscs to the EU (in this case the clam Pitar rostrata).
Scallops without viscera, processed and frozen on board fishing vessels, were
exported to the EU in the past. For the detection of norovirus and Hepatitis
A virus, samples of molluscs were processed and kept frozen at the laboratory of
DINARA in order to be analyzed based on the Polymerase Chain Reaction-Real
Time (PCR-RT) protocols sent by the Santiago de Compostela University and with
the collaboration of the University of Montevideo. The laboratory of DINARA
is accredited (UNIT/ISO/IEC 17025:2005) (13) for Salmonella, E.coli, Cadmium
(Cd), Lead (Pb), Mercury (Hg), and ASP toxin; due to its Management Quality
System, and based on continuous system improvement, it is likely to be accredited
for more techniques in the future.
D. Medina et al.
years, the program expanded to include the monitoring of the lipophilic group and
ASP biotoxins (shellfish monitoring program). These molluscs are principally for
domestic consumption, due to the small volumes harvested.
There is also a control program for molluscs for export, specifically for the clam
Pitar rostrata, which comprises bacteriological, chemical and parasitological analysis, as well as the harvest area classification. Microbiological and phytoplankton
analysis of the water were added to the control program in order to determine the
presence of potential toxic algae, and the microbiological quality of the water; toxin
analysis for PSP, ASP, and the DSP complex in the molluscs are also done. In 2000,
three harvest zones located at three different depths (from 10 to 70 m) and more
than 6 nautical miles offshore in the Atlantic Ocean were defined for the clam Pitar
rostrata. It was the beginning of the microbiological studies of both water and clams
for area classification, the determination of marine biotoxins and phytoplankton,
and the control of chemical contaminants, as required by the EU regulation. To
date, neither PSP, DSP complex, or ASP toxins, have been detected by the mouse
bioassay (for the first 2 toxins) or HPLC method (for the latter) when monitoring
clams from these areas.
The MPN standard ISO/TS 166493: 2005 is applied for enumeration of E.coli
in the classification of the harvest areas, which are classified as “A” (<230
E.coli/100 g) zones (DINARA’s microbiological analysis area). Heavy metal contaminants, such as cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg), are determined
by the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) method (DINARA’s chemical instrumental area) (14). Phytoplankton is monitored using qualitative and
quantitative methods (DINARA’s phytoplankton laboratory). With respect to the
parasitological studies, the presence of the parasite Perkinsus atlanticus was
determined in the clam Pitar rostrata (Fisheries Research Institute of the Faculty
of Veterinary).
In January of 2002, an EC Decision authorized the export of frozen clams
to the EU. Since the FVO mission of 2004, Uruguay has been permitted to
export live bivalve molluscs to the EU (in this case the clam Pitar rostrata).
Scallops without viscera, processed and frozen on board fishing vessels, were
exported to the EU in the past. For the detection of norovirus and Hepatitis
A virus, samples of molluscs were processed and kept frozen at the laboratory of
DINARA in order to be analyzed based on the Polymerase Chain Reaction-Real
Time (PCR-RT) protocols sent by the Santiago de Compostela University and with
the collaboration of the University of Montevideo. The laboratory of DINARA
is accredited (UNIT/ISO/IEC 17025:2005) (13) for Salmonella, E.coli, Cadmium
(Cd), Lead (Pb), Mercury (Hg), and ASP toxin; due to its Management Quality
System, and based on continuous system improvement, it is likely to be accredited
for more techniques in the future.