Mesa County Colorado’s public health department has issued a food safety alert regarding a recent recall of frozen, half-shell oysters. The recall is due to a potential contamination of norovirus, a highly contagious virus that spreads easily. This follows a number of growing concerns about food poisoning and consumption of raw oysters.
Background
How the contamination was discovered has not yet been released. However, the affected product was distributed nationwide. Because the contaminated oysters were distributed in Colorado, and thus potentially Mesa County, the public health department is alerting local consumers.
Product Details
The recalled product consists of frozen, half-shell oysters harvested from the Republic of Korea.
These oysters were distributed by Khee Trading, Inc. in Compton, CA and JC Foods, Inc. (Salt Lake City, UT) to restaurants and retailers.
The specific lot number associated with the affected oysters is B231227, and they were processed on December 28, 2023.
Consumer Action
Consumers should check their freezers for any of the recalled oysters and discard any that are found.
Be cautious, as norovirus contaminated food may look, smell, and taste as if nothing is wrong with them. Therefore, it’s critical to be safe and not consume any of the affected products.
Since the oysters could be contaminated with norovirus, consumers should wash their hands thoroughly after handling them.
Any countertops, cutting boards, utensils, or any other surface that may have come into contact with the oysters should be thoroughly washed and sanitized.
Consumers with additional questions or concerns about the affected products can visit the FDA website at www.fda.gov.
Business Action
Any business with remaining inventory is requested to stop further distribution immediately and return any unopened packages back to the seller. Any open cartons should be discarded.
Any business that has further sold the contaminated oysters is also requested to contact their customers about the recall and ask them to stop serving the affected product immediately.
Health Risks
Norovirus, often dubbed the “stomach flu,” is a highly contagious virus known for causing acute gastroenteritis in individuals of all ages worldwide. The pathogen is especially contagious and can be transmitted through multiple routes, including person to person contact, on contaminated surfaces, in contaminated food and water, and from aerosolized particles. Outbreaks can occur quickly in settings where people are in close proximity such as schools, hospitals, nursing homes, restaurants, and cruise ships.
Commenting on this story, one national food safety attorney said, “If any consumers find the contaminated oysters in their freezers, I strongly recommend they not eat them and instead dispose of them immediately to avoid potential norovirus infection.”
