Journal Article
Analytical Studies on Ciguateric Fish in Okinawa, Japan (II): The Grouper Variola albimarginata
Naomasa Oshiro; Hiroya Nagasawa; Mio Nishimura; Kyoko Kuniyoshi; Naoki Kobayashi; Yoshiko Sugita-Konishi; Tsuyoshi Ikehara; Katsunori Tachihara; Takeshi Yasumoto
Journal of Marine Science and Engineering · Vol. 11, Issue 2 · pp. 242 · 2023
Abstract
Ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) refers to an illness caused by ingesting fish that have accumulated ciguatoxins (CTXs). CFP frequently occurs in the tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. In Japan, CFP occurs sporadically but constantly in Okinawa and the Amami Islands. The grouper Variola albimarginata is regarded to be safe for consumption. To assess the real risk of V. albimarginata, we analyzed 133 specimens of the fish in Okinawa using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). Ciguatoxin-1B, 54-deoxyciguatoxin-1B, and 52-epi-54-deoxyciguatoxin-1B were detected in 28 specimens (21%). In 11 of these specimens (8%), the CTX levels exceeded the US FDA guidance level (0.01 µg/kg CTX1B equivalent). However, only one fish (