TOXICITY OF ADDUCTOR MUSCLES FROM THE PURPLE HINGE ROCK SCALLOP (CRASSADOMA-GIGANTEA) ALONG THE PACIFIC COAST OF NORTH-AMERICA

Mouse bioassay results of rock scallops occasionally monitored by official agencies of British Columbia, Washington and California before and/or after algal blooms from 1980-1990 revealed that 24%, 38% and 87% of adductor muscles, whole body and viscera, respectively, were unsafe ( greater-than-or-equal-to 80-mu-g saxitoxin equivalents/ 100 g tissue) for human consumption. The safety of adductor muscles could not be predicted from corresponding toxicity levels of the viscera but the absence of detectable toxin could.