The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has issued a recall of B.C. oysters intended for raw consumption following a rash of illnesses linked to the coastal delicacy.
Shellfish growers were told in a note on Tuesday they would be hearing soon from Canadian Food Inspection Agency staff with further information, after Health Canada provided the agency with a health risk assessment associated with raw oysters.
Last week, Vancouver Coastal Health barred the sale of raw oysters at all restaurants in the Lower Mainland following an outbreak of gastro-intestinal illness caused by the bacterium vibrio parahaemolyticus.
B.C. shellfish producers maintained their product is safe and said the local industry is hemorrhaging money because of the ban.
“We think we’re losing at least $50,000 worth of farmed product every single day in Vancouver alone,” said Roberta Stevenson, executive director of the B.C. Shellfish Grower’s Association. “Tourists from all over the world come to B.C. to eat live oysters so this is affecting us big time.”
The naturally occurring bacteria is found in oysters when water temperatures are warmer than usual, meaning there may be no end in sight to the current ban.
VCH has confirmed 33 cases of illness linked to consumption of raw oysters, but said there could be many more unreported.
“The majority of people don’t go to the doctor and get a test to confirm,” said medical health officer Reka Gustafson.
She reiterated that the current order means restaurants can still serve oysters, but they must be cooked because it effectively kills the bacteria.
The health authority is still working to trace back exactly where the problem originated.
Prior to the recall, the Island Health Authority insisted that restaurants selling the product put a health notice on their front doors.
“An outbreak of diarrheal illnesss caused by Vibrio bacteria is occurring in British Columbia at this time. Please be aware that you are at an increased risk of getting this infection from eating raw oysters harvested in B.C.,” the notice reads.
Some Island restaurants said the signs have been bad for business.
“I think it made many of our customers disappointed, the fact that they’re not able to have those beautiful raw oysters and it’s kind of a difficult one, because we know that the oysters that we get are safe to eat,” said Ronald St. Pierre, a chef at Courtenay’s Locals restaurant.
He said the business normally moves between 15 to 25 dozen raw oysters a week.
Symptoms of consuming vibrio-tainted raw oysters include watery diarrhea, cramps, fever and vomiting.
The symptoms, which can also include headaches and bloody stools, can last as long as an entire week, according to VCH.
With a report from CTV Vancouver Island’s Gord Kurbis
