Evolution of the Anisakis risk management in the European and Italian context

Abstract

Due to the social and legislative implications, the presence of Anisakis spp. larvae in fishery products has become a concern for both the consumers and the official Control Authorities. The issuance of a large number of provisions, aimed at better managing fish products intended to be consumed raw or almost raw and the associated risks, resulted in a very complicate legal framework. In this work, we analyzed the evolution of the normative through an overview on the local and international legislations, focusing on issues that are of practical interest for Food Business Operators (FBOs) in the fishery chain. In addition, we performed a survey across the Department of Prevention of the Italian Local Health Authorities (LHA) and the main fish markets in Italy to collect the operating procedures and the monitoring plans. Overall, we found many differences, due to the absence of a national reference standard for the management of the Anisakis risk. From this examination, it turns clear that only a participation of all the involved institutions, a strategy of synergistic interventions, as well as a correct training of FBOs, can result in an effective risk management and a proper risk communication, which should overcome states of confusion and unnecessary negative impacts on the economy.

Anisakis Sensitization in the Croatian fish processing workers: Behavioral instead of occupational risk factors?

“…Four specific forms are recognized; gastric, intestinal, ectopic and gastro-allergic [2], but the frequent misdiagnoses and underreporting of cases leads to the biased data interpretation and a speculative incidence. Likewise, one of the latest sources estimated 20 cases per year at European level [3], while a recently developed quantitative risk model suggested only in Spain between 7700 and 8320 of cases annually [4]. In light of these findings, Moneo et al [5] suggested a fifth anisakiasis form important from public health prospective that encompasses sensitized asymptomatic patients, otherwise healthy individuals with a high anti-Anisakis IgE titer that potentially underwent a subclinical or undiagnosed gastric anisakiasis without allergic symptoms.…”

Methods for Anisakis simplex detection in fish and fishery productsMethods for Anisakis simplex detection in fish and fishery products

“…Rozporządzenie nr 853/2004 dopuszcza także możliwość odstąpienia od mrożenia produktów rybnych pochodzących z ryb z obszarów połowowych, które wg dostępnych danych epidemiologicznych nie stanowią zagrożenia, wynikającego z obecności pasożytów oraz jeśli zezwolą na to właściwe władze. Przykładem tego jest region Apulia we Włoszech, który za zgodą władz odstąpił od obowiązkowego mrożenia ryb (17). Z drugiej strony, wg opinii Europejskiej Agencji ds.…”

First Molecular Diagnosis of Clinical Cases of Gastric Anisakiosis in Spain

“…In Europe, the disease has been documented in various countries, the highest incidence occurring in Spain, where it is mainly caused by the consumption of marinated anchovies, a typical Mediterranean dish [3][4][5][6][7]. The growing incidence of anisakiosis reported in recent years, related to worldwide changes in eating habits and an increasing consumption of fish products, has led the European Food Safety Authority to rank anisakid nematodes as an important "biological hazard" in seafood products [3,5,6,8]. For the control and prevention of anisakiosis, the current Spanish legislation and European regulation require that food establishments freeze fish for at least 24 h at -20 ºC when it is to be consumed raw or marinated and recommends the same measure for dishes prepared at home [9,10].…”

“…The presence of anisakid larvae, mainly Anisakis species, in consumed fish can also trigger allergic reactions of different degrees of pathogenicity, due to IgE-Anisakis hypersensitivity, the symptoms ranging from moderate, such as urticaria and angioedema, to severe, including anaphylactic shock [11]. In gastro-allergic cases, the patient develops both types of symptoms simultaneously [3,11,12].…”