The FDA issued a warning on Monday to the dangers of eating the soft green substance (also called tomalley or lobster paste) found inside the lobster’s body cavity, citing concerns of toxin contamination. The toxins are due to an increase in algea levels in ocean waters ranging from New England to Canada. Ingestion of this poison can cause paralytic shellfish poisoning. Symptoms include tingling and numbness of the mouth, face or neck, muscle weakness, headache and nausea. In severe cases respiratory failure and death can occur. Cooking doesn’t eliminate or neutralize the toxin. The only safe way to prevent paralytic shellfish poisoning is to not ingest the toxin. The good news is that most restaurants don’t serve the parts of the lobsters that are likely to be contaminated. According to the FDA it is still okay to eat lobster claws and tails. Full story.
Posts Tagged ‘poisoning’
July 28, 2008


Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.