Health Canada Warns Against Excessive Consumption Of Lobster Tomalleys

The soft green substance inside the body of a lobster commonly known as Tomalley, is considered by some as a delicacy and by may others as a waste, unhealthy product. The health agency of Canada has decided to issue a warning-advising people against eating too much of lobster tomalley.

The health agency has announced that Tomalley, the green innards that serve as a liver and pancreas for lobster, can sometimes contain a toxin known as paralytic shellfish poison. The agency explained that if ingested in large amounts the toxin causes tingling and numbing of the arms legs, headaches, dizziness and nausea. They went on to state that in rare cases it could even cause paralysis, respiratory difficulty or even death.

Health Canada is recommending that adults should consume the tomalley of no more than two lobsters a day. For children, it's one lobster a day. They explained that they had always advised nursing mothers and pregnant women to avoid tomalley. They did go on to clarify that advice does not apply to canned lobster tomalleys because of processing controls and the toxin is not normally found in lobster meat.