The Maine Center for Disease Control issued the advisory against tomalley after some samples tested positive for high levels of toxin created by blooms of red tide algae. The agency said that meat from other parts of the lobster, such as the claws and tail, were safe to eat.
Tomalley is a soft green substance found in the body of the lobster that filters contaminants in the water. It is regarded as a delicacy by some. Eating shellfish contaminated by red tide can cause paralytic shellfish poisoning, an illness that can result in death.
