Fans of raw oysters: We’re afraid we have some bad news. You know that little voice in the back of your head that whispers “let’s hope eating this probably-still-alive sea creature that spent its life filtering dirty ocean water isn’t going to make me deathly ill” every time you slurp one down? Well, you may want to start listening to it for the time being—at least when it comes to oysters harvested in certain parts of British Columbia.
According to a food safety advisory issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), potentially contaminated oysters that may cause norovirus and other gastrointestinal illnesses have been distributed in 13 states. Here’s what to know, and what not to eat.
How many people have gotten sick?
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is continuing its food safety investigation of an outbreak of norovirus and gastrointestinal illness linked to eating raw oysters from British Columbia, the Public Health Agency of Canada reports. As of March 30, 2022, there had been 279 illnesses reported in Canada. It’s currently unclear how many, if any, cases of gastrointestinal illness caused by these oysters have been reported in the U.S.
Which oysters pose a safety risk?
The potentially contaminated raw oysters were harvested in the south and central parts of Baynes Sound, British Columbia, Canada, and have been distributed to restaurants and businesses in the California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Texas, and Washington state, the FDA says.
The agency and the relevant states conducted an investigation to determine where the raw oysters were distributed, and to make sure that they’re removed from the food supply. But if you’ve purchased raw oysters from the grocery store or a market, it’s up to you to check them.
The oysters in question were harvested from the BC 14-8 and BC 14-15 locations within British Columbia as early as January 31, 2022. That information is printed on product tags, so read those carefully before eating any oysters—especially since food contaminated with norovirus may look, smell, and taste normal.
If you are in possession of any of the potentially contaminated oysters, throw them out immediately. The FDA has not provided any information on getting a refund for these oysters, so you may want to hang onto the product tag and bring it to the retailer where you made the purchase to see if there’s anything they can offer.
And if you think you’ve become ill after eating oysters, it’s best to discuss it with a healthcare professional. Symptoms of norovirus include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, stomach pain, fever, headache, and body aches, and it can be especially dangerous for people with compromised immune systems, the FDA notes.