Consumers should not eat shellfish from South Korea and retailers should stop selling it, federal and state regulators said Thursday.
The Food and Drug Administration yanked firms that transport Korean shellfish off its list of approved shippers on May 1 and said it may launch “a fairly extensive recall of the product” — specifically fresh, frozen or processed oysters, clams, mussels and scallops.
An agency analysis of the Korean shellfish program found unacceptable water pollution levels in shellfish-growing areas and periodic detection of norovirus, a common cause of acute gastroenteritis, or inflammation of the stomach and intestines.
Although the FDA lacks the authority to regulate retailers and their suppliers, it can seize contaminated products that are not removed from commerce. The agency has recommended that stores and distributors stop selling Korean shellfish. The advisory does not affect Korean crab or shrimp or any shellfish grown and produced domestically.
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