The Food and Drug Administration has issued a recall for a batch of oysters ahead of Memorial Day Weekend amid fears the seafood was contaminated with norovirus.
Khee Trading INC., an importer based in Compton, California, discovered the potential contamination in frozen half-shell oysters harvested from South Korea.
The oysters were harvested on January 30 and processed in Tongyeong-si. The California Department of Public Health notified the FDA on May 15 of the possible contamination.
The FDA warned that restaurants and food retailers in Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Nevada, Texas, Utah, and Washington had purchased the recalled fish.
Health officials added that the product may have been distributed to other states.
Consumers and food retailers have been advised to avoid frozen, raw, and half-shell oysters with the lot code B250130.
It’s unclear how the product was potentially contaminated, but the FDA said officials would continue investigating the situation.
Restaurants and food retailers who have purchased the recalled oysters have been asked to dispose of them.
Retailers across multiple US states have been advised to check the lot code on recently purchased oysters
The FDA is warning restaurants that purchased frozen, raw, or half-shell oysters from South Korea to dispose of the shellfish
The FDA also warned restaurants of possible cross-contamination, adding that food workers should be cautious when handling the recalled oysters.
Norovirus is a highly contagious disease and is the leading cause of vomiting and diarrhea. It is more commonly referred to as the ‘stomach bug’ or the ‘stomach flu.’
The virus can be contracted through direct contact with an infected individual, eating food and drink that was contaminated with the virus, or touching contaminated objects before putting your hands near your mouth and eyes.
Consuming oysters and other shellfish can also increase your chances of contracting norovirus.
The typical recovery time for norovirus is a few days, although infected individuals can still spread the disease for two weeks or more after contracting it, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
There are no treatments for norovirus, but those who contract it usually recover on their own. However, those with compromised immune systems have a heightened risk of developing a severe illness from the virus.
Symptoms tend to develop 12 to 48 hours after the virus is contracted. Due to the excessive vomiting and diarrhea, infected individuals may become extremely dehydrated.
Abdominal cramps, nausea, and a fever are also symptoms of the virus. Norovirus is a gastroenteritis infection, triggered by an inflammation of the stomach and intestines.
The FDA shared an example image of the product tag on the recalled oysters
The shellfish was recalled by the FDA earlier this year when officials discovered that oysters harvested in southeastern Louisiana were contaminated with norovirus.
Oysters processed between January 10 and February 4 were recalled, and 15 people later fell ill after eating the affected oysters at several restaurants in New Orleans.
In January, norovirus was one of the four illnesses impacting Americans in what officials dubbed a ‘quad-demic.’
Norovirus impacts around 21 million Americans a year and sends around two million to doctors’ offices or urgent care.