Detection of DSP and PSP

For routine monitoring of DSP toxins, a mouse bioassay procedure developed by Yasumoto et al. is widely used. Although individual methods vary in detail, all assays invlove the extraction of lipids-soluble DSP toxins with acetone, removal of the solvent and injection of the extract into a pre-weighed mouse . To confirm positiveresults obtained using the bioassay test, it is standard practivce to carry out an independent analysis by HPLC using 9-anthryldiazomethane derivatives of the DSP toxins. HPLC can detect of 15 micrograms or less of okadaic acid per 100g whole tissue. As for PSP toxins, it is recognised that there is an urgent need to develop alternative methods to the mouse bioassay which do not rely on the use of live animals

Adapted from Naturally Occuring Toxins, 42nd report on Chemical Aspects of Food Survelliance, 1994, MAFF