Publication Date:
2024-04-25
Description:
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) have significant impacts on food safety and security
through contamination or mass mortalities of aquatic organisms. Indeed, if not properly
controlled, aquatic products contaminated with HAB biotoxins are responsible for
potentially deadly foodborne diseases and when rapidly growing, HAB consequences
include reduced dissolved oxygen in the ocean, dead zones, and mass mortalities of
aquatic organisms. Improving HAB forecasting is an opportunity to develop early
warning systems for HAB events such as food contamination, mass mortalities, or
foodborne diseases. Surveillance systems have been developed to monitor HABs in
many countries; however, the lead-time or the type of data (i.e. identification at the
Species-level, determination of toxicity) may not be sufficient to take effective action
for food safety management measures or other reasons, such as transfer of aquaculture
products to other areas. Having early warning systems could help mitigate the impact of
HABs and reduce the occurrence of HAB events. In this regard, FAO took the lead in the
development of a Joint FAO-IOC-IAEA Technical Guidance for the Implementation of
Early Warning Systems for HABs. The document will guide competent authorities and
relevant institutions involved in consumer protection or environmental monitoring to
implement early warning systems for HABs present in their areas (marine and brackish
waters), specifically for those affecting food safety or food security (benthic HABs,
fish-killing HABs, pelagic toxic HABs, and cyanobacteria HABs).
Repository Name:
EPIC Alfred Wegener Institut
Type:
Inbook
,
peerRev
Format:
application/pdf
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