Gulf States Fight FDA Raw Oyster Ban
U.S. Senators Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) and Mary Landrieu (D-La.) have introduced legislation seeking to block a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposal that would prohibit the distribution of raw oysters from the Gulf of Mexico during warm-weather months. “Specifically, the legislation, which was co-sponsored by Senator David Vitter (R-La.), would prevent [FDA] from using funds to implement a ban on sales of oysters that don’t undergo a sterilization process,” according to a November, 5, 2009, press release issued by Landrieu.
Slated to take effect in 2011, the FDA plan would apparently require processing for Gulf oysters harvested between April and October. The agency has pointed to the risk that raw oysters can cause fatal Vibrio vulnificus infections in people with compromised immune systems, resulting in approximately 15 deaths per year. California has already enacted similar measures that bar the sale of untreated raw Gulf oysters in the state, which has reported no Vibrio vulnificus fatalities since 2003. But efforts by Louisiana and other Gulf communities to educate the public have purportedly failed to reduce deaths by 60 percent, a goal set 10 years ago by federal regulators. “It’s really a people-over-profit story,” an FDA spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, the oyster industry has warned that the proposal could cost 3,500 jobs and decimate the business. U.S. Representative Charles Melancon (D-La.) has likewise criticized FDA for focusing on raw oysters while neglecting to increase inspections on crawfish and catfish imports that compete with Louisiana products. “Divide 15 deaths by 50 states . . . It’s de minimis, it’s minuscule,” stated Melancon. “I think 15 is a pretty reasonable number.” See Slate.com, November 11, 2009; The Baltimore Sun, November 12, 2009.
