If you are about to dip a California spiny lobster in butter sauce and serve it to friends, please take time to read a recent alert issued by the California Department of Fish and Game. The release notifies consumers that “elevated levels of domoic acid toxin have been found in the viscera (internal organs) of lobster sampled from water adjacent to the northern Channel Islands.”

This warning also applies to rock crabs. The Department of Fish and Game explains that: “The meat of the lobster and crab is not affected by the toxin, but all internal organs, including the roe, should be discarded.”

So please be take extra precautions to throw away everything but the meat when preparing your lobster. According to the Department of Fish Game, “Symptoms of domoic acid poisoning can occur within 30 minutes to 24 hours after eating toxic seafood. In mild cases, symptoms may include nausea or diarrhea, cramps, headache and dizziness. These symptoms typically disappear within several days, but in severe cases, the victim may experience life-threatening symptoms, or even death.”