FDA warns California restaurants, diners to avoid certain half-shell oysters

April 17 (UPI) -- Restaurants in California are being warned not to serve certain oysters on the half-shell, which could be contaminated with norovirus, the Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday, as the agency urged diners and consumers to stay away from the tainted shellfish.

The FDA issued the advisory about the frozen, raw half-shell oysters from South Korea last week, after the California Department of Public Health advised the agency of a norovirus outbreak.

Authorities at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries in South Korea have ordered a recall of the oysters.

The distributed lots include frozen, raw half-shell oysters Lots B231126 and B240103, harvested from Designated Area No. 1, and Lot B240214, harvested from Designated Area No. 2. The half-shell oysters were processed by JBR (KR 15 SP) in Tongyeong City, South Korea, on Nov. 27, 2023, Jan. 4 and Feb. 15 before being shipped to distributors in California.

Photos of the labels, seen in an example released by the FDA, show the numbers, date of harvest and product information.

Restaurants and retailers are being warned not to serve or sell the potentially contaminated oysters, and instead throw them out.

Consumers are being warned not to eat any potentially contaminated oysters and, if they experience symptoms, to contact their health care provider.

Norovirus symptoms typically involve nausea, stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea. Other symptoms can include fever, headache and body ache. Symptoms usually appear 12 to 48 hours after exposure. Most people who contract norovirus recover in about one to three days.