{"id":16797,"date":"2020-02-06T06:18:23","date_gmt":"2020-02-06T12:18:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/foodsafetytrainingcertification.com\/?p=14137"},"modified":"2020-02-06T06:18:23","modified_gmt":"2020-02-06T12:18:23","slug":"raw-oysters-vibriosis-and-the-dangers-of-food-illness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/seafoodsafetyhaccptraining.com\/blog\/food-safety-news\/raw-oysters-vibriosis-and-the-dangers-of-food-illness\/","title":{"rendered":"Raw Shellfish Food Safety"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Fresh raw shellfish (e.g. oysters, clams, mussels) pose an increased food illness risk\u00a0 &#8211; as they are filter feeders and become contaminated when their waters are polluted with raw sewage and bacteria.<br \/>\nShellfish can be contaminated with a variety of foodborne pathogens such as <em>E. coli<\/em>, norovirus, <em>hepatitis A<\/em>, and <em>Vibrio vulnificus<\/em> &#8211; which can put anyone at risk for infections.<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both;\"><\/div>\n<figure class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"  style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\n\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-18766 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/foodsafetytrainingcertification.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/shellfish_oysers_norovirus_ecoli_vibrio_food_safety_illness_029_shutterstock_1172213215.jpg\" alt=\"shellfish_oysters_norovirus_ecoli_vibrio_food_safety_illness\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" \/>\t\t<figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\" >\n\t\t\t<span class=\"media-credit\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/woman-eating-delicacy-oyster-closeup-restaurant-1172213215?src=pexIk3FsNbRZ82_huTryog-1-0\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" >Image Source: Shutterstock<\/a><\/span>\t\t<\/figcaption>\n\t<\/figure>\n\n<div style=\"clear: both; margin-bottom: 20px;\"><\/div>\n\n<div style=\"clear: both; margin-bottom: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<h3>Norovirus<\/h3>\n<p>Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that can cause viral gastroenteritis, often called \u201cfood poisoning\u201d or the \u201cstomach flu.\u201d Eating raw or partially cooked shellfish can cause norovirus infection.<br \/>\nNorovirus makes its way into the marine environment through untreated human sewage (poop) and vomit. This may come from leaky septic systems, faulty waste water treatment plants, boaters, or beach-goers. Shellfish are filter feeders, which means they filter seawater through their bodies\u00a0to get food floating in the water. When norovirus particles are in the water, shellfish\u00a0can accumulate the virus in their bodies.<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both; margin-bottom: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Ey_OV_-pBeo\" width=\"696\" height=\"392\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both; margin-bottom: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<h3>Vibrio and Vibriosis<\/h3>\n<p>About a dozen <em>Vibrio<\/em> species can cause human illness, known as vibriosis. The most common species causing human illness in the U.S. are <em>Vibrio parahaemolyticus<\/em>, <em>Vibrio vulnificus<\/em>, and <em>Vibrio alginolyticus<\/em>.<br \/>\nThe CDC estimates 80,000 people become sick with vibriosis, and 100 people die from their infection, in the United States every year. Most of these illnesses happen from May through October when water temperatures are warmer. However, you can get sick from eating raw or undercooked oysters during any month of the year, and raw oysters from typically colder waters also can cause vibriosis.<br \/>\nRemember, you can\u2019t tell if raw shellfish contains <em>Vibrio<\/em> germs from the way it looks, smells, or tastes. Always make sure oysters are fully cooked to stay safe from food poisoning.<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both; margin-bottom: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ke-N8dPobe8\" width=\"854\" height=\"480\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both; margin-bottom: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p>Most <em>Vibrio <\/em>infections from oysters, such as <em>Vibrio parahaemolyticus <\/em>infection, result in only diarrhea and vomiting.<br \/>\nHowever, people with a <em>Vibrio vulnificus <\/em>infection can get very sick. Some people can even get infected through an open wound when swimming or wading in brackish or salt water.<br \/>\nThis is because the infection can result in bloodstream infections, severe blistering skin lesions, and limb amputations. If you develop symptoms of vibriosis,\u00a0tell your medical provider if you recently ate or handled raw shellfish.<br \/>\nAnyone can get sick from vibriosis, but you may be more likely to get an infection or severe complications if you:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Have liver disease, alcoholism, cancer, diabetes, HIV, or thalassemia (<span class=\"ILfuVd\"><span class=\"e24Kjd\">blood disorder<\/span><\/span>).<\/li>\n<li>Receive immune-suppressing therapy for the treatment of disease, such as for cancer.<\/li>\n<li>Have an iron overload disease, such as hemochromatosis.<\/li>\n<li>Take medicine to lower stomach acid levels, such as Nexium and Pepcid.<\/li>\n<li>Have had recent stomach surgery.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"clear: both; margin-bottom: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<figure class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"  style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\n\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-18765 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/foodsafetytrainingcertification.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/shellfish_oysters_vibrio_food_safety_illness_007_shutterstock_1204499143.jpg\" alt=\"shellfish_oysters_vibrio_food_safety_illness\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" \/>\t\t<figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\" >\n\t\t\t<span class=\"media-credit\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-illustration\/vibrio-cholerae-bacteria-small-intestine-3d-1204499143?src=qy92Rd8Om7Y72HCdxt489g-1-0\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" >Image Source: Shutterstock<\/a><\/span>\t\t<\/figcaption>\n\t<\/figure>\n\n<div style=\"clear: both; margin-bottom: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<h3>How can I reduce shellfish infection?<\/h3>\n<p>Follow these tips to reduce your chances of getting an infection when eating or handling shellfish and other seafood:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Don\u2019t eat raw<\/strong> <strong>or undercooked<\/strong> oysters or other shellfish. Fully cook them before eating, and only order fully cooked oysters at restaurants. Hot sauce and lemon juice don\u2019t kill <em>Vibrio<\/em> bacteria and neither does alcohol.\n<ul>\n<li>Some oysters are treated for safety after they are harvested. This treatment can reduce levels of <em>Vibrios<\/em> in the oyster but it does not remove all harmful germs. People who are more likely to get vibriosis should not eat any raw oysters.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Separate cooked seafood from raw seafood<\/strong> and its juices to avoid cross contamination.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Wash your hands<\/strong> with soap and water after handing raw seafood.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Cover any wounds<\/strong> if they could come into contact with raw seafood or raw seafood juices or with brackish or salt water.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Wash open wounds and cuts<\/strong> thoroughly with soap and water if they have been exposed to seawater or raw seafood or its juices.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"clear: both; margin-bottom: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<figure class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"  style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\n\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-18763 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/foodsafetytrainingcertification.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/oysters_norovirus_food_illness_safety_001_shutterstock_1459393205-1.jpg\" alt=\"oysters_norovirus_food_illness_safety\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" \/>\t\t<figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\" >\n\t\t\t<span class=\"media-credit\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/cook-cuts-oyster-using-chain-glove-642145801?src=xZ6c3EgIBuWQgjHtYMDrkg-1-0\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" >Image Source: Shutterstock<\/a><\/span>\t\t<\/figcaption>\n\t<\/figure>\n\n<div style=\"clear: both; margin-bottom: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<h3>Other Shellfish Illness from Natural Toxins<\/h3>\n<p>Natural toxic compounds can cause a variety of adverse health effects and pose a serious health threat to humans. Adverse health effects can be acute poisoning &#8211; ranging from allergic reactions to severe stomachache and diarrhea, and even death. Long-term health consequences include effects on the immune, reproductive or nervous systems, and also cancer.<br \/>\nShellfish (bivalve and molluscan) can become contaminated by toxin-producing algae because of red tide (algal bloom) events. During red tide, shellfish harvested from the affected areas are not safe to eat. Toxic shellfish will taste and appear no different than nontoxic shellfish, and cooking does not destroy the red tide toxin. Testing is the only way to determine if shellfish contain unsafe levels of toxin. Algal blooms are most common in the spring and summer months when sunlight, temperature, and precipitation favor algal growth.<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both; margin-bottom: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<figure class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"  style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\n\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-18768 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/foodsafetytrainingcertification.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/shellfish_oysters_vibrio_food_safety_illness_002_shutterstock_598170905.jpg\" alt=\"shellfish_oysters_vibrio_food_safety_illness\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" \/>\t\t<figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\" >\n\t\t\t<span class=\"media-credit\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/visible-red-tide-gulf-mexico-common-598170905?src=F6ztVqOB-978uLyhN8YxXw-1-0\" rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" >Image Source: Shutterstock<\/a><\/span>\t\t<\/figcaption>\n\t<\/figure>\n\n<div style=\"clear: both; margin-bottom: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><strong>Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning (ASP)<\/strong><br \/>\nAmnesic Shellfish Poisoning (ASP) is an illness caused by eating bivalve and other molluscan shellfish that have been contaminated with domoic acid, a naturally occurring acid which is produced by certain species of marine algae.<br \/>\nSymptoms usually occur 30 minutes to 6 hours after consumption and can include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea,<\/li>\n<li>muscle weakness,<\/li>\n<li>disorientation, and<\/li>\n<li>memory loss.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If poisoning is not severe, symptoms usually disappear within a few days. If a severe case is suspected, or should problems persist, immediately seek medical attention, because death can occur.<br \/>\n<strong>Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP)<\/strong><br \/>\nDiarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) is an illness caused by toxins that are produced by certain microscopic plants. Generally, DSP is often short-lived and non life-threatening &#8211; except for vulnerable groups (young children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems). The toxins are not destroyed by cooking.<br \/>\nSymptoms usually occur 30 minutes to 6 hours after consumption and can include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea,<\/li>\n<li>headache,<\/li>\n<li>abdominal cramps, and<\/li>\n<li>chills.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Symptoms usually disappear within a few days. If a severe case is suspected, or should problems persist, immediately seek medical attention.<br \/>\n<strong>Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP)<\/strong><br \/>\nParalytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) is caused by eating bivalve and other molluscan shellfish that have been contaminated by toxins produced by certain species of marine algae.<br \/>\nSymptoms of PSP could begin within a few minutes through up to 10 hours after consumption and can include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>a tingling sensation or numbness around the lips that gradually spreads to the face and neck,<\/li>\n<li>a prickly sensation in the fingertips and toes,<\/li>\n<li>drowsiness,<\/li>\n<li>headache and dizziness, and<\/li>\n<li>difficulty swallowing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Respiratory difficulty, salivation, temporary blindness, nausea, and vomiting may also occur. In extreme cases, paralysis of respiratory muscles may lead to respiratory arrest and death within two to twelve hours after consumption. Seriously affected people must be hospitalized and placed under respiratory care. There is no known cure for PSP. If you suspect you have PSP you should immediately seek medical attention.<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both; margin-bottom: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<figure class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"  style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\n\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-18761\" src=\"http:\/\/foodsafetytrainingcertification.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/shellfish_oysers_norovirus_ecoli_vibrio_food_safety_illness_034_shutterstock_1300019329.jpg\" alt=\"shellfish_oysers_norovirus_ecoli_vibrio_food_safety_illness\" width=\"1024\" height=\"560\" \/>\t\t<figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\" >\n\t\t\t<span class=\"media-credit\">Image Source: Shutterstock<\/span>\t\t<\/figcaption>\n\t<\/figure>\n\n<div style=\"clear: both; margin-bottom: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<h3>Safety Tips for Cooking Oysters<\/h3>\n<p>The USDA recommends all seafood (fish, shellfish &#8211; shrimp, lobster, crab, scallops, clams, oysters, mussels, etc.) \u0003be cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 145\u00b0F (62.8\u00b0C) &#8211; as measured with a food thermometer.<br \/>\n<strong>For oysters in the shell, either:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Before cooking, throw out any shellfish with open shells.<\/li>\n<li>Boil until the shells open and continue boiling 3\u20135 more minutes, or<\/li>\n<li>Steam until the shells open and continue steaming for 4\u20139 more minutes.<\/li>\n<li>Only eat shellfish that open during cooking. Throw out shellfish that do not open fully after cooking.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>For shucked oysters, either:<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Boil for at least 3 minutes or until edges curl;<\/li>\n<li>Fry for at least 3 minutes at 375\u00b0F;<\/li>\n<li>Broil 3 inches from heat for 3 minutes; or<\/li>\n<li>Bake at 450\u00b0 F for 10 minutes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"clear: both; margin-bottom: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-18764 size-full\" src=\"http:\/\/foodsafetytrainingcertification.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/seafood_min_safe_cooking_temperature_food_safety_001-1.jpg\" alt=\"seafood_min_safe_cooking_temperature_food_safety\" width=\"1024\" height=\"538\" \/><\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both; margin-bottom: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<h3>Summary<\/h3>\n<p>To ensure you&#8217;ll have a shuckin\u2019 good time &#8211; don&#8217;t gamble on your chances of getting sick with raw contaminated shellfish. Always cook shellfish &#8211; i.e., by baking, grilling, or broiling &#8211; to a minimum internal temperature of 145\u00b0F (62.8\u00b0C) &#8211; as measured with a food thermometer.<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear: both; margin-bottom: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<h3>Additional information<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><a class=\"tp-link-policy\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/listeria\/faq.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" rel=\"nofollow\" >Take a look at CDC\u2019s questions and answers about <em>Vibrio<\/em> and vibriosis <\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"tp-link-policy\" href=\"http:\/\/www2c.cdc.gov\/podcasts\/player.asp?f=8629455\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" rel=\"nofollow\" >Listen to CDC podcast on the dangers of eating raw oysters<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"tp-link-policy\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/features\/befoodsafe\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" rel=\"nofollow\" >Be food safe \u2013 learn how you can protect yourself from food poisoning<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"tp-link-policy tp-external-link-fix\" href=\"https:\/\/www.foodsafety.gov\/poisoning\/causes\/bacteriaviruses\/vibrio_infections\/index.html\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"  rel=\"nofollow\" >Read more guidance on FoodSafety.gov for preventing <em>Vibrio <\/em>infections<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Learn more about aquaculture: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/aquaculture\/index.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" rel=\"nofollow\" >http:\/\/www.fisheries.noaa.gov\/aquaculture\/index.htm<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Learn more about Pacific and Eastern oysters from FishWatch: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.fishwatch.gov\/profiles\/search\/oyster\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" rel=\"nofollow\" >http:\/\/www.fishwatch.gov\/profiles\/search\/oyster<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Raw shellfish (e.g. oysters, clams, mussels) pose an increased food illness risk\u00a0 &#8211; as they are filter feeders and become contaminated when their waters are polluted with raw sewage and bacteria. Always cook shellfish &#8211; i.e., by baking, grilling, or broiling &#8211; to a minimum internal temperature of 145\u00b0F (62.8\u00b0C) &#8211; as measured with a food thermometer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":20042,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[23,24,25],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/seafoodsafetyhaccptraining.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16797"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/seafoodsafetyhaccptraining.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/seafoodsafetyhaccptraining.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/seafoodsafetyhaccptraining.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/seafoodsafetyhaccptraining.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16797"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/seafoodsafetyhaccptraining.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16797\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/seafoodsafetyhaccptraining.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20042"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/seafoodsafetyhaccptraining.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16797"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/seafoodsafetyhaccptraining.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16797"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/seafoodsafetyhaccptraining.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16797"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}