Hvalfjörður Mussels Riddled With Poison

Hvalfjörður has been closed for mussel harvesting, as okadaic acid was detected in the shellfish from this fjord.

Vísir reports that the Icelandic Food and Veterinary Authority (MAST) warned against picking mussels in the fjord about a week ago due to the possibility that algae-generated okadaic acid was present in the shellfish.

Upon further testing, it was found that in a random sampling of mussels there was 440µg/kg of okadaic acid, also known as DSP. The safe level for this toxin is a maximum of 160µg/kg.

As this has now been confirmed, the general public is advised to not eat mussels from Hvalfjörður at this time. MAST will continue to follow the matter closely, and advise when it is safe to eat mussels from this fjord again.

Note also that this only applies to mussels from Hvalfjörður; mussels from elsewhere in Iceland are not subject to this advisory.