This paper provides an extensive review of different aspects of five shellfish poisoning syndromes (paralytic shellfish poisoning, diarrhoeic shellfish poisoning, amnesic shellfish poisoning, neurologic shellfish poisoning, azaspiracid shellfish poisoning), as well as one fish poisoning syndrome (ciguatera fish poisoning). Various aspects of these poisoning syndromes are discussed in detail including the causative toxins produced by marine organisms, chemical structures and analytical methods of the toxins, habitat and occurrence of the toxin producing organisms, case studies and existing regulations. Based on this analysis, risk assessments are carried out for each of these different toxins, and recommendations elaborated to better manage these risks in order to reduce the harmful effect of these toxins on public health.

Since the discovery of the aflatoxins in the 1960s, regulations have been established in many countries to protect consumers from the harmful effects of mycotoxins that may contaminate foodstuffs, as well as to ensure fair practices in food trade. Various factors play a role in decision-making processes focused on setting limits for mycotoxins. The last comprehensive overview on worldwide regulations was published as the FAO Food and Nutrition Paper 64 in 1997. At that time, 77 countries had specific regulations for mycotoxins in different foods and feeds and 13 countries had general provisions, while about 50 countries did not have data available. The number of countries with specific regulations for mycotoxins has increased over the years. This reflects the general...

Microorganisms, and in particular Enterobacter sakazakii, in powdered infant formula are considered to be an emerging public health issue. This issue was recently brought to the attention of the Codex Alimentarius, which has decided to revise its Recommended International Code of Hygienic Practices for Foods for Infants and Children in order to address concerns raised by pathogens that may be present in infant formula. FAO and WHO convened an expert meeting with the objective of providing scientific advice to facilitate this revision process. This volume reports on the findings of that meeting. E. sakazakii has caused disease in all age groups. Statistics indicate that infants, in particular pre-term, underweight or immunocompromised infants, are at greatest risk. Powdered infant formula is...

This volume contains specifications of identity and purity prepared at the 63rd meeting of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), held in Geneva, 8-17 June 2004. These specifications should be considered only in conjunction with the report of the above meeting which will be printed in the WHO Technical Report Series. Toxicological monographs of the substances considered at the 63rd meeting of JECFA will be published in the WHO Food Additives Series. The general principles applied in the elaboration of specifications established at the earlier JECFA sessions have been published in the Principles for the Safety Assessment of Food Additives and Contaminants in Food, WHO Environmental Health Criteria, No. 70, 1987. The specifications of identity and purity...