Mussel Purification Commercial Scale Trials

Summary

This report describes a series of trials conducted at Monteum Ltd., Shoreham using a modified crustacean holding tank, Mussels were obtained from the Wash and purified using the existing criteria advised by MAFF with the exception that as the trials progressed the number of mussel layers was increased to the maximum of six that the depth of tank allowed. In addition further trials were conducted with increased mussel density in the tank, the use of interleaf boards between layers and purifying mussels in bags. Water temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen were monitored and samples of tank water and mussels, both pre and post purification, were analysed for the bacterium E.coli and Faecal Streptococci. The trial ran from February to April 1987, when trials were curtailed due to the onset of the mussel spawning season, and were concluded during October to November 1987. This report has been produced from a scanned original and may therefore contain some formatting and other inaccuracies. In cases where this affects the technical content, a paper copy of the original report can still be obtained from Seafish.

Publication Reference No.

SR312

Publication date

01 May 1987