THE agriculture office of Madridejos town on Bantayan Island issued a warning to the general public asking them to avoid eating shellfish and acetes, locally known as alamang, due to the presence of red tide in the waters of the municipality,
Based on laboratory findings from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Central Visayas (BFAR 7), the red tide was determined to be present.
According to BFAR 7, red tide is caused by the proliferation of rare type of poisonous algae brought about by the sudden change in the weather, from being extremely hot to being wet.
As a result, any shellfish or acetes that can be found in the area — including oysters, scallops, clams, and mussels — are unsafe to eat.
The Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP), which includes paralysis, headaches, vomiting, difficulty swallowing, difficulty speaking, weakness, and even death, is one of the effects of infected shellfish.
Crabs, squid, and shrimp are still safe to consume if they have been well rinsed with water.
The local government of Madridejos urged the people to heed their warning to avoid becoming victims of food poisoning. (With TPT)