OTTAWA, September 30, 2010 – The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Pacific Rim Shellfish (2003) Corporation are warning the public not to consume Pacific Rim Petite raw oysters described below because they may contain foodborne pathogens.
The following Pacific Rim Petite raw oysters are affected by this alert:
Pacific Rim Shellfish (2003) Corporation,
Vancouver, BC variable quantity (dozens) Lot # 1091501
Pacific Rim Shellfish (2003) Corporation,
Vancouver, BC variable quantity (dozens) Lot # 1092204
These raw oysters were distributed to various retail and institutional clients in BC. These oysters were also sold from the Pacific Rim Shellfish cash & carry retail outlet located at 1807 Mast Tower Road, Vancouver, BC. Further, these oysters may have been sold in smaller quantities at some retail seafood counters. Consumers who are unsure whether they have the affected product are advised to check with their retailer or supplier.
These raw oysters have been distributed in British Columbia.
There have been illnesses associated with the consumption of these raw oysters. Symptoms of the reported illness include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and stomach cramps.
The CFIA is collaborating with its partners, Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH), British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (BC CDC), Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and Health Canada to investigate these illnesses. This investigation is ongoing.
Food contaminated with foodborne pathogens may not look or smell spoiled. Consumption of food contaminated with these organisms may cause foodborne illness, sometimes called food poisoning. Symptoms vary by organism, but can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, fever, headache, dizziness and neck stiffness. Young children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems may be more at risk.
Pacific Rim Shellfish (2003) Corporation, Vancouver, BC is voluntarily recalling the affected product from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.
For more information consumers and industry can call the CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 / TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday).
Source: CFIA
