Seafood Safety, Potential Hazards and Future Perspective

Abstract

Along with the numerous benefits for human health, seafood may pose various health risks. These potential hazards may be of anthropogenic origin as well as natural. Pathogenic bacteria, viruses, organic and inorganic pollutants, microplastics, parasites, shellfish poisonings, ciguatera, tetrodotoxin, histamine, or seafood allergy may threat consumer health. Evaluating the possible sources of these hazards and conditions is necessary to provide healthy and safe seafood to the consumer. Increased awareness of consumers on sustainability, food safety, origin and availability will greatly affect consumption trends. Therefore, this review presents a future perspective for seafood consumption. Antibiotic resistance and the effect of climate change on fish consumption, the recent critical problems of the seafood industry, were also discussed. This review gives current information on the potential hazards of seafood and provides a perspective for future trends in fish consumption. The seafood processing sector should consider these potential risks and adapt to changing consumer preferences.