Evaluation of tetrodotoxins in puffer fish caught along the Mediterranean coast of Spain. Toxin profile of Lagocephalus sceleratus

•This is the first toxicity assessment of the Lessepsian migrant pufferfish Lagocephalus sceleratus from the Spanish coast.•This is the first report dealing with quantification of 11 tetrodotoxin analogues in various organs of L. sceleratus .•Excellent correlation of LC-MS/MS, LC-HRMS and mELISA is obtained in the analysis of puffer fish samples.•A user-friendly screening and quantification analysis tool for tetrodotoxin is provided.

Although consumption of Tetraodontidae species is prohibited in the EU, intoxications are still reported. The evaluation of tetrodotoxins (TTXs) by mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS and LC-HRMS) and a screening immunoassay (mELISA) in tetraodontid fishes caught along the Western Mediterranean Sea revealed high concentrations of TTXs in Lagocephalus sceleratus while no TTXs were identified in L. lagocephalus and Sphoeroides pachygaster individuals. The high TTXs content found in the L. sceleratus analysed herein demonstrate the occurrence of highly toxic puffer fish in the Western Mediterranean Sea. Being L. sceleratus a recent invasive species in the Mediterranean, surveillance, risk assessment and risk management measures are necessary. The strategy used within this research work could be a valuable tool for future food safety monitoring.

Graphical abstractPresence of tetrodotoxins (TTXs) in different puffer fish species caught off the Spanish coast (Western Mediterranean Sea) was evaluated by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The only toxic species was Lagocephalus sceleratus, a recently invasive species in the Mediterranean. The toxin profile was confirmed by high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). An immunoassay (mELISA) also showed TTX presence, providing complementary functional information.Download high-res image (163KB)Download full-size image