The latest estimates from the Department of Agriculture suggest that foodborne illnesses cost the U.S. $15.5 billion each year. “Economic burden of a disease is not the same thing as the impact of a disease
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Vibrio vulnificus
Seafood Safety 101: Vibrio in Shellfish
(This article by Liz Bradshaw, a postdoctoral research scholar in NoroCORE, the Norovirus Collaborative for Outreach, Research, and Education based at NC State, is the fifth in a series leading up to April 7,…
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Oysters Can Harbor Dangerous Pathogens in Summer Months
The warmer coastal water temperature produced by summer weather creates ideal conditions for bacteria that can contaminate oysters, the Washington State Department of Health reminded the public over the Fourth of July weekend. Vibrio vulnificus…
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Still Too Many Raw Oyster Deaths in Gulf States
There’s red tide in Texas, salinity levels in state waters are way off in Mississippi, and Louisiana has fallen behind Washington state in oyster production. To say Gulf oystermen have not had much cause for
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Overreaching on Oyster Safety?
The government and seafood industry must work together to reduce illnesses from Vibrio vulnificus – a naturally occurring but potentially fatal bacterium found in Gulf Coast oysters – says the Government Accountability Office.
The GAO
Landrieu Gets Oyster Regs Out of Food Safety Bill
The bill that is supposed to empower the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) instead contains some restrictions when it comes to the oyster industry thanks to one Louisiana senator.
Democratic U.S. Senator Mary L. Landrieu
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There’s Risk in Eating Raw Oysters
Each year millions of Americans enjoy raw oysters with a squeeze of lemon or perhaps a dash of hot sauce. However, when eaten raw, this tasty mollusk poses certain health risks.
Last month, the Florida …
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Will Oil-Eating Bacteria Plague the Gulf?
As though the Gulf Coast states don’t have enough to worry about with crude oil spewing into the water at an estimated rate of 5,000 barrels a day, they soon may also have to worry
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Oysters, a Simple Food with a Complicated History
With the New Orleans Saints playing in the Super Bowl and Fat Tuesday just days away, it’s quite likely that large amounts of raw oysters will be consumed over the next couple of days, maybe
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Debate Over Raw Oyster Policy Continues
Debate over the U.S Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) proposed policy to reduce a deadly bacteria in raw oysters continues to grab headlines.
In mid-October Michael Taylor, senior advisor to the commissioner of the FDA,