Food poisoning cases caused by natural toxins in Okinawa prefecture

Abstract

  Okinawa prefecture is located south of the Japanese Islands, and causes of natural toxin food poisoning are different from other parts of our country due to its subtropical climate and natural environments. During ten years from 2001 to 2010, 24% of food poisoning incidences occurring in Okinawa were caused by natural toxins, which comprises of animal origins in as much as 91% of the cases. Most of the animal toxins are ciguatera toxins produced by seafood that inhabit the coral reef. In addition to ciguatera, incidences of food poisoning are also attributed to cucurbitacin-containing plants in the family Cucurbitaceae, tropical mushroom Chlorophyllum molybdites, and hallucinogenic mushrooms.