OkaTest can help you to choose the best area and time to harvest, preventing extraction of contaminated molluscs from areas near those ones closed due to presence of these toxins.
Performing shelf-control with OkaTest before harvesting or as end-product testing you can assure molluscs are fit for consumption and avoid unnecessary process of contaminated products. OkaTest allows you to deliver results on the same day as you can process up to 43 samples in about 3 hours. In addition, you will be able to combine it with the reference method to get results for the whole group of lipophilic toxins in less time; as well as to follow up areas closed by okadaic acid. OkaTest can therefore be used as a supplementary test to the reference method for determination of the OA-toxins group in molluscs according to the Commission Regulations (EC) No. 853/2004 and No. 15/2011.
Inhibition of serine/threonine protein phosphatases (PP1 & PP2A) activity by this group of toxins is assumed to be responsible for these diarrheic disorders. Okatest based on the phophatase activity inhibition (PP2A) by OA-toxins group, responsible for diarrheic shellfish poisoning (DSP). Phosphatase enzyme PP2A is able to hydrolyse a specific substrate, yielding a product that can be detected at 405nm. Samples containing toxins from the okadaic acid group will inhibit the enzyme activity proportionally to the amount of toxin contained in the sample.
- Working range: 63 - 352μg OA equivalents/kg
- Assay time: 1 h extraction plus 2 steps of 20 & 30 minutes
- Presentation: 96-well microtiter plate. Total of 43 samples
- Equipment: Microtiter plate reader at 405nm
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