Virus Risk Warning: Do Not Eat Oysters In New York State

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning New Yorkers against eating certain oysters due to the threat of a virus. While many find raw oysters to be delicious aphrodisiacs, certain oysters should not be consumed right now.

The FDA is advising consumers not to eat, and restaurants and food retailers not to sell, and to dispose of oysters that were harvested between January 16, 2023 and February 17, 2023.

Photo by Yukiko Kanada on Unsplash

The oysters in question are from Deep Bay subarea 14-8 landfiles #0278744, #0278742, #0278741, #0278740, #1414396, #0319716, #1414456, #1414457, #1400483, #1411206, #1407063, #1408485, #0278739, #0278737, #1403139, #0278734, #1411153, and #1411195 in British Columbia, Canada.

The oysters may be contaminated with Norovirus. According to the Centers for Disease Control,

Norovirus is a very contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea. Anyone can get infected and sick with norovirus. You can get norovirus from:
- Having direct contact with an infected person
- Consuming contaminated food or water
- Touching contaminated surfaces and then putting your unwashed hands in your mouth

Photo by Bruce Chapman on Unsplash

The FDA warning is for consumers, restaurants, and food retailers. Commercial entities should not serve or sell these raw oysters to consumers. People who have purchased the oysters in question should not eat them. Again, do not consume raw oysters from:

Deep Bay subarea 14-8 landfiles #0278744, #0278742, #0278741, #0278740, #1414396, #0319716, #1414456, #1414457, #1400483, #1411206, #1407063, #1408485, #0278739, #0278737, #1403139, #0278734, #1411153, and #1411195 in British Columbia, Canada.

Lobster Served In New York State Restaurants Might Not Be Lobster

According to Tasting Table, you might not be getting what you paid for.

According to Today, a few years ago Inside Edition tested the DNA of 'lobster' dishes from 28 restaurants and 35 percent of samples actually came back as not lobster, but as fish substitutes like whiting and haddock. In this case, the substitute that Tasting Table is warning about is a bit closer to lobster.

Photo by Joy Real on Unsplash

If you're trying to stick to a budget in 2023, be aware that 'all that glitters isn't gold'. If you are 'wowed' by the cheap price of a restaurant's lobster dish, it might not be lobster that they're using (imitation crab anyone?). Tasting Table says that cheaper lobster dishes may actually contain langostino.

What Is Langostino?

Langostino is a lobster, of sorts, but not the type of lobster New Yorkers are likely to expect. Not to get too scientific, but according to Seafood Source, "American" lobsters and langostinos share the same Decapoda, and suborder, Pleocyemata. There is one difference though, in their infraorders - American lobsters are Astacidea and langostinos are Palinura.

Langostino is Spanish for little lobster. Although langostino’s taste and texture are similar to lobster meat, langostino is not the crustacean Americans typically refer to as 'lobster' — American, or Maine, lobster and spiny lobster.