Commentary on AOAC method for paralytic shellfish poisoning

Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) is caused by ingesting bivalve molluscan shellfish which have fed on the toxigenic marine dinoflagellates Gonyaulax catanella or G. tamarensis. The toxins from these organisms are neurotoxic alkaloids which interfere with nerve conduction and block muscle-action potential. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration cooperates with state shellfish control officials in the National Shellfish Sanitation Program to prevent marketing of toxin-contaminated shellfish. The toxins are quantitated by the standard mouse bioassay method, as found in Official Methods of Analysis of the AOAC. This paper discusses the procedure followed in the standard bioassay method in an attempt to clarify for the PSP analyst the rather complex official methodology, and, thus, promote more uniform results among laboratories.