• CHERYL G. CRUZ
The coastal waters of Bacolod City and Negros Island remain free of the toxic red tide, as of April 14, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources said.
This as the BFAR in Negros Island Region recently said it was monitoring markets following reports of fish poisoning linked to the consumption of “aloy” or “tulingan”, after the local government units of Cadiz, La Castellana, and Hinigaran, all in Negros Occidental, logged cases of scombroid fish poisoning last week.
BFAR national director Elizer Salilig said the coastal waters of Bacolod City, Talisay City, Silay City, E.B. Magalona, Hinigaran, and Victorias City in Negros Occidental; and Tambobo, Siit Bays, Siaton and Bais Bay in Negros Oriental remain free of red tide.
Others include the coastal waters of Sapian Bay, Ivisan, Sapian, Pontevedra, Panay, Pilar, Roxas City and President Roxas, all in Capiz; Tarong in Bancal Bay, Carles, Gigantes Island, Concepcion, Dumangas, and Estancia, Borongon San Dionesio in Iloilo; and Milagros and Mandaon in Masbate, among others.
But shellfishes collected and tested from Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur; Tantanang Bay in Zamboanga Sibugay Province; Matarinao Bay in Eastern Samar; and the coastal waters of Bolinao and Anda in Pangasinan are still positive for paralytic shellfish poison (PSP), or toxic red tide, that is beyond the regulatory limit, Salilig said.
He stressed that “all types of shellfish, or alamang, gathered from these areas are not safe for human consumption.”
Fish, squids, shrimps, and crabs are safe for human consumption provided that they are fresh and washed thoroughly, and the internal organs, such as gills and intestines, are removed before cooking, the Bureau said.
The BFAR-NIR also said that scombroid fish poisoning “is not a naturally occurring toxin in the fish itself, but it happens when the fish is not properly kept chilled from the time it is caught until it reaches the market.”
When fish like aloy or tulingan are left in the heat, they produce high levels of histamine, which cannot be removed, even by cooking or frying, it stressed.
“Vendors should ensure that they are selling fresh fish all the time, and to keep fish in chilled condition especially this summer season,” BFAR said, adding that buying or eating fish that has a metallic/peppery taste, smells pungent, or has soft, mushy flesh should be avoided.
With the extreme heat these past weeks, fish can spoil much faster if not handled properly, the Bureau stressed. “Consumers are advised to handle and store fish properly as poor temperature control can lead to scombroid or histamine poisoning.” | CGC
