A Canadian company is recalling oysters because of test results and reports of infections among consumers who ate the shellfish.

Certain Union Bay Seafood Ltd. brand Pacific oysters are implicated in the recall notice posted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). The agency reports that foodborne illnesses have been linked to the recalled oysters.

“This recall was triggered by findings by the CFIA during its investigation into a foodborne illness outbreak. The CFIA is conducting a food safety investigation, which may lead to the recall of other products. If other high-risk products are recalled, the CFIA will notify the public through updated food recall warnings,” according to the notice.

Public health officials are urging consumers and retailers to check to see if they have the oysters on hand. Any one who has the recalled oysters should discard them or return them to the place of purchase. 

The company reports it may have distributed its Union Bay oysters nationwide in Canada, but is sure that they went to the provinces of Alberta, British Columbia and Manitoba.

Norovirus is highly contagious. In addition to foodborne transmission it can live on hard surfaces such as counters and doorknobs for long periods of time. It can also be transmitted person-to-person, so it is very easy for many people to become infected quickly.

People with norovirus illness usually develop symptoms of gastroenteritis within 24 to 48 hours, but symptoms can start as early as 12 hours after exposure, according to the CFIA recall notice. The illness often begins suddenly. Even after having the illness, you can still become re-infected by norovirus. The main symptoms of norovirus illness are diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach cramps. Other symptoms may include low-grade fever, headache, chills, muscle aches and a general sense of tiredness.

For photos of labels of recalled products, please click here. 

To detriment whether they have the recalled oysters, consumers, foodservice operators, restaurants and retailers should look for the following information.

Brand	Product	Size	UPC	Codes
Union Bay Seafood Ltd.	Pacific Oysters, Chef Creek Xsm	5 dozen	None	Harvest location: BC 14-8 Landfile: 1402060 Lot: W20200211 Harvest date: 10 Feb. 2020
Union Bay Seafood Ltd.	Pacific Oysters, Cascadia Xsm	5 dozen	None	Harvest location: BC 14-8 Landfile: 1402060 Lot: W20200211 Harvest date: 10 Feb. 2020
Union Bay Seafood Ltd.	Pacific Oysters, Royal Miyagi Xsm	5 dozen	None	Harvest location: BC 14-8 Landfile: 1402060 Lot: W20200211 Harvest date: 10 Feb. 2020

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