Raw oysters used to be a rare delicacy, but their increasing availability at gastropubs and eateries has led to a dramatic increase in the rates of shellfish food poisoning in recent years. A new study suggests that a technique called electron beam pasteurization can make the nutritious seafood safer to eat.
Although the marine bivalves are as safe for healthy consumers to eat as they have ever been, the growing popularity of raw oysters has put more Americans with weakened immune systems at risk for gastrointestinal illnesses related to noroviruses and bacteria like Vibrio vulnificus, according to a recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Foodborne illnesses from shellfish consumption rose 43 percent from 2008 to 2012, and the CDC estimates that the virus infection risks from eating raw oysters may cost the United States as much as $200 million each year.
The Food and Drug Administration encourages people with weak immune systems to avoid raw oysters altogether. While existing processing methods like freezing, pressurization, and electron-beam irradiation can reduce the risk of contamination from raw shellfish, attempts to regulate such safety methods have been unevenly applied and opposed by major fishing industries.
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