Aquatic invertebrates in the human diet

Aquatic invertebrates have firmly entered the diet of the Russian consumer. The range of species used for food is very wide:
- crustaceans - crabs, crayfish, shrimps, lobsters, spiny lobsters;
- shellfish - mussels, scallops, oysters, trumpeter, rapana, abalone, squid, cuttlefish, octopus;
- echinoderms - trepang, cucumaria, sea urchins.
Shrimp and squid are the world leaders in production and consumption. In Russia, freshwater crayfish, shrimps and mussels are in the first place.
Products from aquatic invertebrates are not only tasty, but also have great nutritional value, their meat has valuable nutritional properties. Proteins of marine invertebrates are distinguished by a high content of essential amino acids, vitamins, and microelements necessary for normal human life. In order for a food product from aquatic invertebrates to bring pleasure and benefit to the consumer, it must meet the requirements of quality and safety.
Aquatic invertebrates can become a source of human infection with helminths. Among them, paragonimiasis, endemic to the Far East, China , has the greatest medical significance.and other Asian regions. Scientists have described more than 50 species of crabs and crayfish as sources of infection for humans and warm-blooded animals. Insufficient heat treatment will not kill the metacercariae of paragonimus, which are localized under the chitinous cover of crustaceans. Because in humans, paragonimus parasitize most often in the lungs and brain, then bronchitis, meningoencephalitis, mental disorders, and even paralysis can be observed.
Some cephalopods can be a source of human anisakidosis. In squids and cuttlefish, there are 4 species of nematodes of the family Anisakidae that are dangerous to human health. The usual places of localization of parasitic nematodes are the cavity and wall of the mantle, the surfaces of internal organs, which makes it difficult to remove them during technological processing. As a rule, deep-frozen cephalopod molluscs are sold, which makes it possible to disinfect these products.
All aquatic mollusks are filter feeders and, being in polluted waters, they can intensively accumulate toxins, pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic microflora. The accumulation of viruses and bacteria in mollusks can be ten times higher than their concentration in water. For this reason, diseases of people caused by the use of shellfish contaminated with viruses and bacteria that cause diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, etc. are recorded in the world. For example, raw oysters and crabs are considered carriers of vibriosis, including Asian cholera Vibrio cholerae El Tor).
Bivalves such as mussels, clams, scallops can become toxic food as they They themselves fed on poisonous algae - dinoflagellates. Dinoflagellates are unicellular flagellated algae. These are planktonic forms that produce neurotoxins (eg saxitoxin) that can accumulate in shellfish and pose a health risk to the consumer. Therefore, information on areas where shellfish are grown (aquaculture) or harvested is important.
Analysis of the results of monitoring areas of production (catch) and their compliance with the requirements allows you to take into account possible risks. Based on the results of such veterinary monitoring, a veterinary and sanitary assessment of aquatic invertebrates is carried out. All aquatic invertebrates and their products must undergo a veterinary and sanitary examination and be in circulation accompanied by veterinary certificates or certificates.
In order to prevent poisoning and human diseases associated with eating, when buying, you should make sure that aquatic invertebrates:
- are clearly marked with an indication of the area of ​​cultivation or fishing, expiration dates,
- show signs of life (for living ones),
- do not have signs defrosting (for frozen products),
- do not raise doubts in appearance, smell, color,
- do not have lesions of the muscle fiber (thickening, discoloration), shell, valves with the formation of cavernous and tuberous formations, ulcers on them.

The material was prepared by specialists of the Department of Veterinary Medicine and Risk Analysis of Food Production of the Rostov Reference Center of Rosselkhoznadzor.