Recent methods for detection of seafood toxins: recent immunological methods for ciguatoxin and related polyethers.

A brief summation of the methods for detection of each of the marine toxins is presented in this report. The toxins are brevetoxin (PbTx), palytoxin (PTX), okadaic acid (OA), paralytic shellfish toxins (PSP) and ciguatoxin (CTX). The immunological and biotechnical procedures developed for each of these toxins are reviewed. Details of the recent methodology (solid-phase immunobead assay) for detection of ciguatoxin and related polyethers with monoclonal antibodies and receptors are presented. The capabilities of immunological technology for assessment of toxins in seafood products are promising and will probably be widely used in the future for seafood monitoring.