EFFICACIA DEL TRATTAMENTO DI DEPURAZIONE NEI MOLLUSCHI BIVALVI

Depuration treatment has been demonstrated to successfully reduce the level of associated bacteria in bivalve molluscs, the effectiveness of the process being dependent on the duration and efficiency of the treatment, the level of contamination and the type of microorganism. Experimental data on the effect of depuration on Chamelea gallina, Mytilus galloprovincialis and Tapes philippinarum from the Adriatic sea, suggests that these molluscs are effectively sanitized by standard depuration processes, but only when they are moderately contaminated by E. coli. On the contrary this treatment doesn’t ensure a significant decrease of associated marine bacteria i.e. Vibrio spp., that comprise species pathogenic for humans, bringing up a matter of public health.