Tetrodotoxins: recent advances in analysis methods and prevalence in European waters

Abstract

Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is one of the most potent natural neurotoxins. TTX has been responsible in the past for many human fatalities, most commonly following the consumption of pufferfish originating from warm waters, especially of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. During the last decade, however, the presence of TTX and its analogues (TTXs) is increasingly reported from different marine species in European waters, raising serious concerns regarding public health protection in Europe, taking into account that TTX is not a regulated toxin in the EU legislation. This paper aims to review recent advances concerning methods of analysis for TTXs, followed by the latest evidence on TTXs occurrence in Europe, in order to highlight the importance of the situation.