Some seafood products sold to California businesses were recalled this week over concerns they may be contaminated with the highly contagious norovirus, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The affected raw oysters and clams were harvested by two separate companies and distributed to restaurants and food retailers in at least nine states, the agency said in an alert Monday.
The recalled seafood was harvested by Drayton Harbor Oyster Co. and the Lummi Indian Business Council in Drayton Harbor in Whatcom County, Wash. The contaminated shellfish was sold between Feb. 13 and March 3.
Affected raw oysters were sold in Washington, while the Manila clams were distributed to restaurants and retailers in California, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New York, Oregon and Washington, according to the FDA.
Last week, the Washington State Department of Health halted the recreational and commercial harvest of clams, oysters and mussels in Drayton Harbor after receiving multiple reports of people falling ill after consuming raw shellfish from the area.
Symptoms included vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps and fatigue within one to two days of consuming seafood from the harbor — consistent with norovirus infection, according to Whatcom County Health and Community Services.
According to the FDA, food contaminated with norovirus may look, smell and taste normal, making it difficult to detect.
“We appreciate the strong cooperation from Drayton Harbor Oyster Co. throughout this process,” Tom Kunesh, Whatcom County’s food safety program supervisor, said in a statement. “The company has been proactive in discontinuing the sale of potentially impacted oysters from their restaurant and retail store.”
Drayton Harbor will reopen for recreational and commercial harvesting on March 24, according to Washington state officials.
Here’s what you need to know about norovirus.
How does it spread?
According to the FDA, norovirus is highly infectious.
The virus can spread through close contact with someone who is infected, such as by sharing food or eating utensils.
Eating contaminated foods or touching contaminated surfaces may also result in infection, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What are the symptoms?
The most common symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach pain. Others include fever and head or body aches.
Dehydration is also a concern, especially in younger kids and older adults.
Symptoms typically appear within 12 to 48 hours after exposure to the virus. Recovery may take one to three days, according to the FDA.
What you should do
The FDA recommends disposing of all food items potentially contaminated with the virus.
To avoid infection, the CDC recommends:
- Washing hands often
- Washing laundry in hot water
- Cooking shellfish thoroughly
- Thoroughly cleaning infected cooking surfaces
The post Shellfish sold to California restaurants recalled for possible norovirus contamination appeared first on Los Angeles Times.
