Wild mussels may be dangerous, warn researchers

Mussels gathered from the sea at the Belgian coast, and especially near ports, contain relatively high concentrations of chemical substances and too high concentrations of potentially damaging bacteria. That is the conclusion of the Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research ( Ilvo) after studying the quality of mussels at quays in Nieuwpoort, Ostend and Zeebrugge, as well as other breakwaters along the coast.

Mussels harvested in the wild contain two to four times the levels of Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs) than the commercial Zeeuwse mussels, although they still meet food standards for chemicals. Wild mussels however do not meet the standards for the E coli bacteria, responsible for about 80% of all urinary tract infections.

Not only is gathering wild mussels illegal, researchers warn that eating them may also be dangerous. “Mussels filter sea water to get food and, during this process, absorb all kinds of polluting substances,” Ilvo researcher Bavo De Witte told De Morgen. “That makes them good indicators of water quality.”