US FDA Warns Against Using Seafood From South Korea

Health authorities in US have issued warning against using seafood imported from South Korea. They have urged restaurants and food outlets to stop selling all fresh, frozen and canned oysters, clams and mussels that came from South Korea over contamination fears.

"These products and any products made with them may have been exposed to human fecal waste and are potentially contaminated with norovirus," the Food and Drug Administration said in a statement issued late Thursday.

Health Benefits of Fish
Fish is one of the staple food of coastal inhabitants. Nutrition in fish includes protein, calcium and omega-3 fatty acids. Fish is considered to be beneficial for heart and brain.

The FDA said the measure also applies to any scallops that arrived in the United States before or after May 1 when the FDA removed such products from the Interstate Certified Shellfish Shippers List.

The United States documented some cases of norovirus linked to the consumption of South Korean oysters as recently as 2011, but there have been no such cases reported this year.

Norovirus typically causes nausea, vomiting and stomach cramps. The accompanying dehydration can cause some to seek medical treatment.

Advantages of Eating Fish Foods - Health Benefits
Researchers worldwide have discovered that eating fish regularly is good for health. Regular consumption of fish may reduce the risk of diseases such as asthma, prostate cancer and eyesight.

The latest move came after an FDA evaluation found that "the Korean Shellfish Sanitation Program (KSSP) no longer meets the sanitation controls specified under the United States' National Shellfish Sanitation Program," it said.

The FDA cited "significant deficiencies" that include poor sanitary controls, ineffective management of land-based pollution sources and detection of norovirus in shellfish growing areas.

Clevedon Oysters may Be Contaminated With Norovirus
Health officials in Auckland are saying that Clevedon oysters may be contaminated with norovirus.

Korean shellfish makes up a small fraction of the oysters, clams, mussels and scallops sold in the United States.

Health authorities in Taiwan on Friday said they had intensified checks on oysters imported from South Korea following at least 62 cases of food poisoning cases in recent weeks.

Keep Off Raw Oysters, Please FDA Tells US Consumers
The US FDA has warned consumers against eating raw oysters harvested from a bed off the coast of Washington State following outbreak of vibriosis.

About one-third of Taiwan's imported oysters come from South Korea.

Source-AFP