FDA announces Oyster ban in gulf

[FishingBack]

What a nice sock to the gut for the south LA economy and restaurants everywhere.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091027/...us_fda_oysters

NEW ORLEANS – Federal officials plan to ban sales of raw oysters harvested from the Gulf of Mexico unless the shellfish are treated to destroy potentially deadly bacteria — a requirement that opponents say could deprive diners of a delicacy cherished for generations.
The plan has also raised concern among oystermen that they could be pushed out of business.
The Gulf region supplies about two-thirds of U.S. oysters, and some people in the $500 million industry argue that the anti-bacterial procedures are too costly. They insist adequate measures are already being taken to battle germs, including increased refrigeration on oyster boats and warnings posted in restaurants.
About 15 people die each year in the United States from raw oysters infected with Vibrio vulnificus, which typically is found in warm coastal waters between April and October. Most of the deaths occur among people with weak immune systems caused by health problems like liver or kidney disease, cancer, diabetes, or AIDS.

Landrieu has vowed to fight the oyster ban.

[FishingBack]

.

The anti-bacterial process treats oysters with a method similar to pasteurization, using mild heat, freezing temperatures, high pressure and low-dose gamma radiation.
But doing so "kills the taste, the texture," DeFelice said. "For our local connoisseurs, people who've grown up eating oysters all their lives, there's no comparison" between salty raw oysters and the treated kind.

[hoppinmad]

What a nice sock to the gut for the south LA economy and restaurants everywhere.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091027/...us_fda_oysters



Landrieu has vowed to fight the oyster ban.

Her lack of support for the health plan is probably why the announcement. I guess they'll go after mountain oysters in Arkansas next to lean on Blanche too.

[Guisslapp]

West coast (Washington state) oysters are the best.

[atobulldog]

Most of the deaths occur among people with weak immune systems caused by health problems like liver or kidney disease, cancer, diabetes, or AIDS.

Again, must protect stupid people. I thought they were for evolution and its sister natural selection.

[FishingBack]

ato, stop trying to be independent and responsible. Submit to the government, they know best!

[Guisslapp]

ato, stop trying to be independent and responsible. Submit to the government, they know best!

Obama > government.

[Dawgmatic]

15 people out of how many millions died from eating raw oysters?

How many people smoke and die? How many people drink and die? How many people eat junk food and die? How many people just plain die?

Why don't they just ban death and be done with it.

[Dwayne From Minden]

just fry em...

[FishingBack]

blasphemy

[Dawgmatic]

just fry em...

Or put 'em in some gumbo.

[duckbillplatty]

I think it is one of those things that will never happen. I heard on the radio that there are ~6,000 food-related deaths (not including choking or being shot with potato guns) and only 15 related to oyster consumption. The ban would likely cost half of the Louisiana jobs in the Oyster industry (>1,000). So does the government *really* want to say that they are cutting 1,000 jobs from the Katrina-recovery areas of south Louisiana so that they can possibly prevent 1/4 of 1 percent of the deaths related to food illnesses? I doubt it.

[duckbillplatty]

Crap. Here I am applying logic to government action. Please disregard previous post.