Yes. The Government are fully committed to replacing the current testing arrangements for biotoxins in shellfish with non-animal alternatives. The Home Office has been working on this matter with the Food Standards Agency which is responsible for the monitoring programme for algal toxins in shellfish harvesting areas.
For one group of toxins (Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) toxins), a non-animal method of testing has already been introduced to test mussels and accounts for more than 90 per cent. of all shellfish samples tested for PSP. Subject to review by the FSA of validation data, the method will be extended to additional shellfish species later this year. Another non-animal testing method is also being developed for lipophilic toxins (including Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP)) with the intention of having a validated method for testing mussels available for use in the monitoring programme by June 2011.
The testing arrangements are required as part of the EU food hygiene requirements for shellfish harvesting areas. The legislation specifies the methods to be used in testing and for most toxins the biological (animal) methods are specified as the reference method.