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FDA Issues Warning on Raw Oysters Contaminated with Norovirus
An announcement issued by the FDA last week warned retailers and consumers about raw oysters contaminated with norovirus after ten reported cases.
On June 16, 2023, the FDA issued a statement warning restaurants, retailers, and consumers to avoid serving, selling, or consuming raw oysters from Dai One Food Co, Ltd, and Central Fisheries Co, Ltd, Republic of Korea, due to potential norovirus contamination.
According to the statement, the safety notice applies to frozen oysters that were harvested between February 10, 2022, and February 24, 2022, and those harvested between April 6, 2022, and April 21, 2022.
Those harvested in February were sold by the Dai One Food Co, Ltd, ROK firm, which issued a voluntary recall on the following lot numbers: DO20461, DO20471, DO20481, DO20501, DO20521, DO20531, DO20541, and DO20551.
The potentially contaminated oysters in April were harvested by Dai and the Central Fisheries firm. The lot numbers for the Dai oysters include lot numbers DO20961, DO20971, DO20981, DO21001, DO21011, DO21021, DO21031, DO21041, D021051, DO21071, DO21081, and DO21091. The lot numbers for the Central oysters included the following: C-20220407, C-20220410, C-20220411, C-20220412, C-20220413, C-20220414, C-20220417, C-20220418, C-20220419, C-20220420, and C-20220421.
Both companies have issued voluntary recalls; however, the oysters were already sold in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Virginia.
The first cases of norovirus infection were reported to the FDA by the Hawaii Department of Health on May 10, 2023. According to the FDA statement, five individuals who consumed raw oyster shooters at a restaurant reported illness. While only two samples were collected, norovirus was identified in one of them.
Shortly after those initial reports, on June 3, 2023, and June 4, 2023, the Minnesota Department of Health reported five additional cases to the FDA. These cases are also traced back to raw oyster consumption.
Norovirus is a contagious viral infection that causes diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain. Some rare cases may also be characterized by fever, headache, and body aches. The CDC notes that norovirus can be contracted through direct contact with an infected individual, contact with contaminated food and drink, and contact with contaminated surfaces or objects.
