Climate change and seafood safety: Human health implications

Worldwide, anthropogenic climate change is now a reality and is already affecting the biology and ecology of some organisms, as well as several chemical pathways. Little is known about the consequences of climate change for the food system, particularly seafood, comprising all stages from farm to fork (mainly primary production, processing, transport and trading). In this context, the current review aims to elucidate climate change impacts on seafood safety and its human health implications. Both chemical and biological risks are foreseen to impair seafood safety in the future as a consequence of climate change; in particular, toxic metals, organic chemicals residues, algal toxins and pathogens of both humans and marine organisms. However, different species respond differently to such stresses. Public health authorities will face new challenges to guarantee seafood safety and to sustain consumers' confidence in eating seafood in a warmer world. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.