Courtesy of SeafoodSource:
Nearly 300 Canadians have fallen ill with norovirus after consuming potentially contaminated raw oysters harvested in the south and central parts of Baynes Sound, British Columbia, Canada.
Last month, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) conducted an investigation into the foodborne illness outbreak and ultimately found a link between the series of illnesses and the consumption of raw oyster products. The agency’s findings prompted numerous suppliers to issue nationwide recalls, including Taylor Shellfish Canada, Stellar Bay Shellfish, Pacific Rim Shellfish, and Daily Fresh Shellfish Inc.
CFIA’s assessment of the situation has also moved the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue its own warning to U.S.-based restaurants and retailers in California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Texas, and Washington – states where the possibly contaminated products were directly distributed to.
“It is possible that additional states received these oysters through further distribution within the U.S.,” the FDA said in its warning.
The FDA and the CFIA, along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Public Health Agency of Canada, and state and local partners are all investigating the outbreak.
“Retailers should not serve raw oysters harvested from the following harvest locations (or landfiles) within Baynes Sound: #1407063, #1411206, #278737 in BC 14-8, and #1400036, in BC 14-15. ‘Baynes Sound’ will show on product tags as ‘14-8’ and/or ‘DEEP BAY,’ or ‘14-15,’ the FDA said. “Oysters can cause illness if eaten raw, particularly in people with compromised immune systems. Food contaminated with norovirus may look, smell, and taste normal.”
Recalled oysters from Taylor Shellfish Canada, doing business as Fanny Bay Oysters, include those under the brand names Fanny Bay, Royal Miyagi, and Sunseeker. The recalled oysters from Pacific Rim are sold under the brand name Pacific Rim Shellfish (2003) Corp., while Stellar Bay has called back products within its Kushi and Stellar Bay Gold brands.