Tilapia culture is an important source of income and nutrition to many rural families. Since 2000, the production of tilapia increased and reached domestic and global markets. Major farmed species is Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), in earthen ponds and cage cultures. Intensification contributed to global tilapia disease outbreaks, with bacterial infections causing mortalities and morbidities, threatening sustainable production. At tilapia farms, high nutrient concentrations, water temperature and fish densities enhance bacterial growth including virulent bacterial clones and potential zoonotic bacteria. Global warming favours this. This review respectively provides a comprehensive overview of the most common and emerging bacterial pathogens, diseases, clinical presentations and diagnostics of tilapia, including bacteria and diseases with zoonotic potential. First, common bacterial disease outbreaks, including streptococcosis, motileAeromonassepticaemia, francisellosis, columnaris disease and vibriosis are described. Then, information on emerging bacterial infections of concern for tilapia, like edwardsiellosis throughEdwardsiella ictaluriandE.tarda, as well asAeromonas schubertiiis provided. Reports of infectious bacterial tilapia disease outbreaks from other bacteria, includingLactococcus garvieae,Aerococcus viridans,Pseudomonasspp.,Mycobacterium marinumandChlamydiaspp., and others are reviewed. Furthermore, bacteria with zoonotic potential, likeStreptococcus agalactiaeST283,S.iniae,Aeromonassp.,E.tarda,Vibrio vulnificuspathovar (pv)piscisandM.marinumare included in the review, to provide the most current overview of the disease risks affecting production and post‐harvest stages. Additionally, the status and risks of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria from tilapia and other cultured fish through imprudent use of antibiotics, and its future at a global level are provided.

The global production of sea cucumbers was 245 thousand tons in 2020. Sea cucumbers are important food items in Asian and Pacific cuisines, the highest proportion being consumed in China as “bêche-de-mer” dried, gutted, boiled and salted body wall. However, consumption of sea cucumbers is expanding in China and globally, and the high demand has led to decline in populations of sea cucumbers, due to overexploitation. Aquaculture, together with novel fisheries on new species in new regions is easing the demand. Thus, an assessment of food safety is warranted. A literature search on food hazards was performed. A high proportion of the selected papers concerned heavy metals and metalloid hazards, such as mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and arsenic (As). No specific maximum limits (MLs) have been set for contents of these in sea cucumbers. Thus, the contents were compared with maximum limits set for aquatic animals in general or bivalve molluscs if available. With regard to Hg and Cd levels, none of the samples exceeded limits set by the European Commission or the National Standard of China, while for Pb, samples from highly industrialised areas exceeded the limits. Surprisingly, data on contaminants such as POPs, including dioxins and dl-PCB, PAH and PFAS as well as microbial hazards were scarce. The availability of fresh sea cucumber has increased due to aquaculture. To preserve the original flavour some consumers are reported to prefer to eat raw sea cucumber products, sashimi and sushi, which inevitably causes challenges from the microbial food safety perspective. Altogether, this paper highlights specific needs for knowledge, in particular when harvesting new species of sea cucumbers or in industrialized regions. Systematic monitoring activities, appropriate guidelines and regulations are highly warranted to guide the utilization of sea cucumbers.

A new matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) extraction methodology, combined with high-performance liquid chromatography equipped with a diode-array detector, was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of 10 compounds in mussels from Galician Rias (Spain). These pollutants are compounds commonly used for plastic production as additives, as well as common plastic contaminants. The compounds selected were bisphenol-A, bisphenol-F, bisphenol-S, nonylphenol-9, nonylphenol, diethyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane, and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene. The parameters affecting the MSPD extraction efficiency such as the type of sorbent, mass sample-sorbent ratio, and extraction solvent were optimised. The proposed method provided satisfactory quantitative recoveries (80-100%), with relative standard deviations lower than 7%. In all cases, the matrix-matched calibration curves were linear in the concentration range of 0.32-120.00 µg/kg, with quantification limits of 0.25-16.20 µg/kg. The novel developed MSPD-high-performance liquid chromatography methodology provided good sensitivity, accuracy, and repeatability for quality control analysis in mussels.

Fish represent an important part of the Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi diet. However, fish is also a source of contaminants that may constitute a health risk to consumers. The aim of this study was to analyse the contents of arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead in 24 commonly consumed marine fish species from the Bay of Bengal and to assess the potential health risk associated with their consumption. Mercury and lead contents did not exceed the maximum limits for any of the sampled species, and consumer exposure from estimated daily consumption was assessed to be minimal for adults and children. Numerous samples exceeded the maximum limit for cadmium (58%), particularly those of small size (≤25 cm). However, consumer exposure was insignificant, and health assessment showed no risk connected to consumption. These data represent an important contribution to future risk/benefit assessments related to the consumption of fish.