According to the report this new method is developed by Spanish scientists, the system is based on molecular techniques and overcomes the limitations of traditional procedures. This method is characterised by its high specificity for the Anisakis, Pseudoterranova, Contracaecum and Hysterothylacium genera and for its very high sensitivity, since the parasite can be detected even if it is present in very low quantities (0.05 pg) in the product analysed,”
Montserrat Espiñeira, co-author of the study explained that the researchers, members of the Area of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology of the National Association of Manufacturers of Canned Fish and Shellfish (ANFACO-CECOPESCA), a non-profit company, developed this method using molecular techniques.
Espiñeira further said that it is a quick and effective method, and unlike the procedures previously used, it can be applied to any fish product regardless of the degree to which it has been transformed. The methods used up to now to detect anisakid larvae were visual examination, transillumination and digestion by artificial gastric juice. These traditional systems cannot be applied to very big species, or to processed products.
The levels of prevalence of anisakids and the degrees of parasitization vary greatly and depend on factors such as the host species, the geographic area, the time of year and the particular features of each specimen. Humans are only an accidental host which interrupts the parasitic cycle.
