Call to suspend sale of contaminated raw oysters
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) today (March 4) appealed to the trade to stop selling raw oysters harvested from San Antonio Bay, Texas, United States, after February 1, 2007.
A CFS spokesman said the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States advised consumers to avoid eating raw oysters harvested from the area as a result of report of an outbreak of norovirus-associated illness linked to eating raw oysters.
According to the FDA, the distributor Bayview Seafood in Seadrift, Texas, issued a voluntary recall on February 26. Another distributor, Rose Bay Oyster Company of Swanquarter, NC, issued a voluntary recall on February 28, 2007. Oysters with tags that read: "Gal 1, 2/2/07" are subject to the recall.
"The elderly, children, pregnant women and people with lower immunity should avoid consuming high-risk foods like raw oysters or cold dishes."
"The Centre will continue to monitor the situation and follow up with the US authorities for more information."
Ends/Sunday, March 4, 2007
