Buy only oysters with closed shells

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned consumers to stay away from raw oysters harvested from oyster beds in Washington State after these were linked to several cases of vibriosis, a food-borne illness. The infections were reported in Washington state and in California.

The oysters could have been contaminated with the Vibrio parahaemolyticus bacteria. These are normally present in oysters but they proliferate in summer as water temperatures rise. Infections of these bacteria are called vibriosis, and it may cause watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and, in some instances, some fever and chills, usually a day after the bacteria enters the body. The symptoms last three days at most.

While the infection can cause intense discomfort, it is not life-threatening. People with weakened immune systems should not eat raw oysters at all because the symptoms may be aggravated.

Apart from overseas destinations, the raw oysters have been shipped to various buyers in California, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, New York, Oregon and Washington. The state health department has already closed the affected shellfish areas and instructed harvesters and dealers to recall the raw oysters.

The FDA advises consumers to ask the stores where the oysters they are selling were harvested. To be safe, oysters should be eaten only after cooking at 145°F. Other FDA recommendations regarding oysters:

* Buy only oysters with closed shells; opened shells indicate the oysters are not fresh.
* Keep raw seafood away from cooked food. Bacteria in the raw seafood could contaminate cooked food.
* Boil oysters to open the shells; after they open up, continue boiling for 3-5 minutes more.
* Throw away oysters that remain closed after cooking.
* Use smaller pots and put fewer oysters when you are steaming them. Steaming many of them at the same time may cause distribution of heat to be uneven, and this may mean some oysters are under-cooked.
* If using shucked oysters, boil for at least three minutes, or wait for their edges to curl up.
* Use 375°F heat to fry oysters; fry for minimum three minutes.
* Broil oysters for a minimum three minutes at three inches distance from source of heat.
* Use 450°F to bake oysters; bake for minimum ten minutes.