Lobster tomalley may be health risk

Health Canada has issued updated consumption advice for tomalley from lobsters harvested during the late fall, early winter season, because of natural toxins.

Information supplied to Health Canada by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency indicates that a very small number of lobsters harvested during late last fall may have levels of paralytic shellfish poison in the tomalley that could represent a health risk to consumers.

Lobsters currently available on the market are likely to have been harvested during this fishing season.

While there have been no confirmed cases of paralytic shellfish poisoning from consuming lobster tomalley, Health Canada is updating its advice on lobster tomalley consumption to further protect consumers.

Health Canada recommends that:

– Children not eat lobster tomalley.

– Adults restrict their consumption of lobster tomalley to no more than the amount from one cooked lobster per day.

The toxin is normally not detected in lobster meat so there are no recommended restrictions on the consumption of lobster meat. The advice does not currently extend to canned lobster tomalley because the risk is controlled during processing, a statement from Health Canada said.

The tomalley, the soft, green substance found in the body cavity of the lobster, functions as the liver and pancreas, and is a filter for contaminants.