The California Department of Health Services issued a warning to
seafood lovers after excessive levels of domoic acid were found in
mussels and sardines harvested in Southern California waters. The
admonition against consuming any bivalve shellfish from the Santa
Barbara Channel was announced last Friday after routine monitoring
programs showed elevated levels of the naturally occurring acid, as
well as an increase in the bacteria that causes paralytic shellfish
poisoning. Clams, oysters, scallops, and mussels with high levels
of domoic acid have been known to cause the infamous “I ate some
bad seafood” lament, associated with vomiting, diarrhea, and
stomach cramps.
