FDA to ban sale of raw oysters from the Gulf?

appalach · #1 10-27-2009, 08:09 PM

Wow, I hadn't heard about this...

FDA to ban sale of raw oysters from Gulf of Mexico - Yahoo! News

kurt · #2 10-27-2009, 08:21 PM

Saw this last week - may be a solution:

University of Florida News - Goodbye ‘R’ rule? Oyster pathogen test may help make shellfish safer

Quote:

The oyster lover’s axiom of edibility — that this shellfish is safest to eat in any month with an “r” in it — may soon become somewhat of a culinary anachronism, thanks to a new food-safety test developed with help from the University of Florida. Oysters are typically considered safest to eat in cooler months (September through April) because the shellfish-infecting bacteria in the genus Vibrio flourish best in warm temperatures.
Even in the “r” months, slurping an oyster opens some people to infection from these bacteria, which can cause fever, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea and has even led to finger amputation when it’s given a chance to penetrate a cut or skin lesion.
However, a new quick and inexpensive diagnostic test developed by DuPont Qualicon and refined by UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences could make weeding out pathogen-loaded oysters much more practical and efficient. Oysters are a $14 million industry in the Sunshine State, according to the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

aleonard · #3 10-27-2009, 09:53 PM

Bruce Collier wrote an excellent editorial on this, in this weeks DeFuniak Herald/Beach Breeze.

Bobby J · #4 10-27-2009, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by appalach

Wow, I hadn't heard about this...

FDA to ban sale of raw oysters from Gulf of Mexico - Yahoo! News

I thought they come out of the bay?

robertsondavies · #5 10-27-2009, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobby J

I thought they come out of the bay?

depending on the wording of the new regulation from the FDA, its possible local oystermen (errr oysterfolk) could put up a quick and successful legal fight or non observation based on the technicality you pointed out.

I assume you are joking - of course they don't actually come out of the Gulf itself... just bays and tributaries leading to same I think .

If you're not joking, simply pin pont what bay's they're harvested in, and then pan out in google maps, and think what folks at the FDA in D.C. would consider that to be as a region.

Bobby J · #6 10-27-2009, 11:40 PM

I was joking. Lets keep it on the down low for the oyster folks.

lerxst · #7 10-28-2009, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobby J

I thought they come out of the bay?

precisely

30ashopper · #8 10-28-2009, 03:32 PM

Classic government approach - to protect a few from their own bad decisions, penalize everybody.

scooterbug44 · #9 10-28-2009, 08:24 PM

This is just dumb!

I've never gotten sick from a raw oyster - but I HAVE gotten sick from alot of other foods and items that contain things the FDA is supposed to be "regulating."

Every restaurant already posts notices and has warnings printed on their menus - so how about they leave well enough alone!

Douglas the Intrepid · #10 10-28-2009, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scooterbug44

This is just dumb!

I've never gotten sick from a raw oyster - but I HAVE gotten sick from alot of other foods and items that contain things the FDA is supposed to be "regulating."

Every restaurant already posts notices and has warnings printed on their menus - so how about they leave well enough alone!

I did get sick from raw oysters from The Crabtrap on Okaloosa Island about 5 years ago, but that was an isolated incident and I have eaten countless raw oysters otherwise and since then with no problems. MMMmmmmm makes me want some right now! lol

They should definitely leave this one alone!!!

Captain Larry · #11 10-29-2009, 11:58 PM

The Federal Gov't seems to have been on the path to shut down ALL commercial seafood operations in the U.S. for quite some time now. This is just the latest in a long line of closures borne by the Gulf fisherfolk for over 10 years. To shut down the oyster harvest (only from the Gulf) during the summer season because of 10 to 15 deaths a year is ludicrous when there are OVER 10,000 deaths a year in this country form eggs ( yes, that's right -research it). Any one fatality is bad but those who die from "vibro" allready have an immune defiency and should know not to eat ANY raw foods. While most seaood closures have been done in the name of species preservation (even when the numbers don't match the rules) this seemed to be the only way they could really shut down the Big Bend of Fla and South La.--- This will be the end of a lot of families that have made a livelihood from the water for generations. Hard working folks who really have no other options left open.

Sorry if my cynicism is coming thru -- I have been a Walton Co."fishhead" my whole life and it seems every time I turn around I am fighting another gov't bureaucracy to stay in business-- no matter how many times I change my occupation -- if it's on the water they want you to stop. I got out of commercial seafood 10 years ago and went the "recreational" route--(charter fishing). Only to be fighting once again to be able to keep working and catching fish.

Ask me how I really feel------

Capt Larry Pentel

30ashopper · #12 11-13-2009, 06:27 PM

Facing fierce resistance, the Obama administration on Friday backed off a plan to ban sales of raw oysters from the Gulf of Mexico during warm-weather months.

The Food and Drug Administration said it would put the proposal on hold while it studies ways to make the popular shellfish safer.

The abrupt turnaround came as oyster-lovers and industry officials — as well as Democrats and Republicans across the Gulf — blasted the plan as unnecessary government meddling. Industry officials said it could have killed a $500 million economy and thousands of jobs.

"They might have been tone-deaf in the beginning, but they got the tune pretty quickly and listened to what we had to say," said Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., who said FDA Commissioner Peggy Hamburg notified her of the decision Friday afternoon. "I'm really thankful that they listened."

FDA Backs off Oyster Ban after Backlash - CBS News

Grayton Girl · #13 11-13-2009, 07:12 PM

This is great news, 30ashopper! I was just at Hunt's Oyster bar in Panama City yesterday, enjoying some delicious sweet and salty fresh oysters. I actually had some of the best oysters this summer ... in a month without an "r" in it!

30A Skunkape · #14 11-13-2009, 09:30 PM

Great news!

singinchicken · #15 11-16-2009, 10:12 AM

Phew! Good news.

Those bacteria laden (wink, wink) oysters that I ate at Nick's on Friday night were some of the best I've ever had!

In fact, they were so good that Mrs. Singinchicken finally caved and tried one and actually liked it! She sealed the deal by having more the next night!