Shellfish toxins

Proficiency tests

Participation in the shellfish toxins programmes is open to all laboratories. The type of sample is tissue from shellfish, e.g. blue mussels, oysters, scallops, cockles and mussels.

Determinand Group	Exercise Id.
ASP shellfish toxins	BT7
Lipophilic shellfish toxins	BT11
PSP shellfish toxins	BT12
Tetrodotoxin	BT13

General information

• Shellfish test materials are collected from contaminated coastal sites like the North Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Pacific Ocean.
• Depending on the type of exercise, shellfish samples are prepared from e.g. mussel, oyster, scallop, clam, or cockle tissue.
• Shellfish toxin samples are either natural contaminated or mixed with contaminated shellfish tissue where relevant.
• Shellfish tissue samples contain ± 5 gram of homogenized tissue. Occasionally, extracts of shellfish tissue are distributed when relevant.
• Shellfish tissue samples are autoclaved and are stable over a number of years when stored in the freezer.
• Shellfish tissue samples are dispatched under cooled conditions.
• Reports contain all data reported under strict confidentiality, including Z-score plots and method information of the methods used.

Determinands

The list below shows the typical determinand groups and determinands for the Shellfish toxins programme. For a list of determinands which are under the scope of accreditation please check here.

Reference materials

Samples of previous proficiency tests are sold as reference materials. Available materials can be selected and ordered in our webshop. In our webshop it is also possible to request a quotation. Participants of our proficiency tests are entitled to a discount.