Health Canada reminds Canadians about the consumption of lobster tomalley

Issue

Health Canada is reminding Canadians about its consumption advice for tomalley from lobsters because of the natural toxins that can sometimes be found in this organ. Past information gathered by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) suggests that there is a potential for a very small number of lobsters to contain levels of paralytic shellfish poison (PSP) in the tomalley that could represent a health risk to consumers if too much tomalley is eaten. This toxin is normally not detected in lobster meat and so there are no recommended restrictions on the consumption of lobster meat. As well, this advice does not extend to canned lobster tomalley because the risk is controlled during processing. The tomalley is the soft, green substance found in the body cavity of the lobster. It functions as the liver and pancreas, and much like the liver of other animals, the lobster’s tomalley is the natural filter for contaminants. Test results have shown that the tomalley can accumulate contaminants found in the environment, including PSP toxins. Although not widely consumed, tomalley is considered by some to be a delicacy. PSP toxins are naturally produced by certain species of microscopic marine algae found in coastal waters. The toxin can affect the human nervous system and can be very serious if ingested in large amounts. Symptoms of a mild exposure include a tingling sensation or numbness of the lips shortly after eating. Larger exposures can lead to these symptoms spreading to the arms and legs, headaches, dizziness and nausea, and in rare cases more serious conditions such as muscular paralysis, respiratory difficulty, choking and even death if medical attention is not received in time. Should you experience any of these symptoms after consuming lobster tomalley, you should immediately consult a health care professional.

What you should do

• children not eat lobster tomalley, and
• adults restrict their consumption of lobster tomalley to no more than the amount from one cooked lobster per day.