ABSTRACT
Seafood has traditionally been a part of the diet in many parts of the world and in some countries constitutes the main supply of animal protein. Today even more people are eating fi sh as a healthy alternative to red meat. The low fat content of many fi sh species (white fl eshed, demersal) and the effects on coronary heart disease of the n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fatty (pelagic) fi sh species are extremely important aspects for health-conscious people particularly in affl uent countries, where cardiovascular disease mortality is high. However, consumption of fi sh and shellfi sh may also cause diseases due to infection or intoxication. Some of the diseases have been specifi cally associated with consumption of seafood while others have been of a more general nature. Seafood-borne illness accounts for more than 10% of the reported food-borne diseases each year. Nevertheless, seafood-borne diseases cause a signifi cant number of illness and deaths worldwide, and people should be concerned about them. Most health problems associated with seafood are due either to contaminants that are present in the environment where seafood (i.e., shellfi sh or fi sh) are grown or improper handling. Most seafood-borne diseases can be traced to pollution in the area where the sea creatures
1Centre for Advanced Research in Science, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangla Desh 2Department of Genetic Engneeering and Biotechnology, Dhaka University, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh 3Food Hygiene Laboratory, National Food Research Institute, Kannondai-2-1-12, Tsukuba 305-8642, Japan 4Division of Marine Life Science, Research Faculty of Fisheries Science, Hokkaido University 3-1-1, Minato-cho, Hakodate, Hokkaido 041-8611, Japan *Corresponding author: E-mail:latiful@univdhaka.edu. Tel.: 880-2-9661920-59 Ext 4721
are harvested. However, shrimp remains one of the most popular and highly valued seafood selections throughout the world. Current annual world production from both wild harvest and farm culture is estimated at approximately 3,000,000 metric tonnes.
