Certified Professional Food Safety (CP-FS) Practice Exam

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What is a toxic component found in seafood that originates from toxic algae?

Scombrotoxin
Ciguatoxin
Shellfish toxin
Histamine

The correct answer is: Ciguatoxin

Ciguatoxin is indeed a toxic component found in seafood that originates from toxic algae, specifically from marine dinoflagellates, such as those in the genus Gambierdiscus. This toxin accumulates in fish, particularly reef fish, through the food chain, as smaller herbivorous fish consume toxic algae and are then preyed upon by larger carnivorous fish. Ciguatoxin is responsible for ciguatera poisoning, which can cause a range of severe gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms in humans. Understanding this toxin is crucial for food safety, as monitoring for ciguatoxin levels in fish and advising consumers about the risks associated with certain fish species can help prevent foodborne illness. While other toxic agents, such as scombrotoxin and histamine, are related to fish spoilage and certain spoilage bacteria, they do not originate from toxic algae. Shellfish toxins can pertain to various toxins produced by different algal blooms, but ciguatoxin specifically points to the mechanism linked to food chain accumulation from toxic algae, making it the most accurate answer in this context.