Aquatic Biotoxins: Design and Implementation of Seafood Safety Monitoring Programs

When an issue on food safety is considered, it is important to state that absolute safety is not possible. Scientists and consumers alike concede that risks are associated with food as the result of compounds of chemical or microbiological origin. In fact, foods considered safe under normal conditions would not qualify for a “seal of approval” guaranteeing 100% safety if they were consumed in excessive quantities or used in an unusual manner. Relative food safety can be defined as the practical certainty that injury or damage will not result from the ingestion of a food or ingredient used in a reasonable and customary manner and quantity (57, 58).