The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers to avoid a certain type of oyster ahead of the Super Bowl this weekend.
Why It Matters
Last year, more Americans became ill as a result of contaminated food, with the number of hospitalizations and deaths from foodborne illness expected to double by 2023.
According to the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, recalls due to listeria, salmonella, or E. coli increased significantly in 2024, accounting for roughly 40% of totals for the FDA and the United States Department of Agriculture.
What To Know
Restaurants and food retailers are being advised to discard oysters harvested from Louisiana Area 3 between January 10 and February 4, this year.
This impacts businesses in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Texas, and possibly other states.
The recall includes half-shell, shucked, frozen, breaded, and postharvest processed oysters. According to the FDA, all of these could pose a norovirus risk.
Because of the health risk, all restaurants and food sellers should avoid serving these oysters and dispose of them immediately.
According to the Louisiana Department of Health, fifteen people became ill with norovirus-like illnesses after eating Louisiana oysters harvested in Area 3 at several New Orleans restaurants between January 15 and January 31.
If you eat an oyster contaminated with norovirus, you may become ill even if the oyster appears, smells, and tastes normal.
If you have already eaten the oysters, the FDA recommends consulting a doctor and reporting any symptoms to your local health department.
Norovirus can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, and fever. These symptoms usually appear 12 to 48 hours after being exposed to norovirus, with the majority of those infected feeling better within one to three days.
What People Are Saying
Alex Beene, financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek: “While this recall is more than likely not going to affect those nationwide, individuals who purchased these oysters in the common retail area definitely need to take this warning seriously and discard or return ones they’ve purchased.
This particular recall mainly impacts customers in a few states – Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, and a few others – that carry these oysters out of fear they could be contaminated with norovirus. With any recall like this, you want to listen to the warning.”
Teresa Murray, consumer watchdog director of the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, told Newsweek: “Consumers should not mess with contaminated oysters or any oysters that might have been part of a recall. No one should dismiss this; norovirus in oysters can be quite serious. We typically see a handful of recalls for oysters every year.”
She added: “People who are in vulnerable health — young children, the elderly, pregnant women or anyone who is immunocompromised — should talk with their doctor before eating foods that have higher than normal likelihood of contamination. Anything that’s uncooked or undercooked may fall in that category.”
What Happens Next
Beene advised consumers not to disregard the FDA’s warning or feed the oysters to animals.
“Don’t assume the ones you purchased will be okay or even consumable by pets,” Beene told me. “They need to be either thrown in the garbage or taken back to the retailer from which they were purchased.”
According to the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, approximately 2,500 norovirus outbreaks are reported annually. Every year, the virus kills 900 people, the majority of whom are over the age of 65.
Murray said that as New Orleans restaurants prepare for the Super Bowl rush, they will need to prioritize other appetizers and ensure that no contaminated oysters are served.
“They’ll either have to scramble for alternative suppliers or find other appetizers for Super Bowl fans to enjoy,” Murray told reporters. “We’d hope patrons wouldn’t give the restaurants a hard time for complying with the recall and taking steps to keep them safe.”
