Seafood lovers take note: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a serious warning advising consumers to steer clear of shellfish from specific areas of Oregon and Washington state. Elevated toxin levels linked to paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) have prompted this advisory, already associated with at least 31 illnesses in Oregon. Distributed beyond the immediate northwestern states, these potentially contaminated shellfish have reached markets and restaurants as far as Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, and New York, prompting widespread concern, according to KTLA.
The FDA specifically names oysters and bay clams harvested since May 28 from Netarts and Tillamook bays in northern Oregon, and since May 26 from areas surrounding Willapa Bay in southern Washington, as detailed by KTLA. These shellfish carry high levels of PSP, a naturally occurring toxin that can have severe effects on human health. The warning has led to retailers and restaurants in the affected and neighboring states to quickly remove these seafood items from their offerings.
Signs of PSP can surface within just 30 to 60 minutes after consumption, as stated by Oregon health officials, with symptoms including mouth and lip numbness, vomiting, diarrhea, and in critical cases, shortness of breath and irregular heartbeat. Matthew Hunter, shellfish program manager for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, according to CBS News explained that the scale of the algal bloom has led to "unprecedented levels" of PSP toxins along Oregon's coast.
Authorities have made it clear that conventional methods like cooking or freezing do not neutralize PSP toxins. As a result, Oregon and Washington have to shut down their respective coastlines to the harvesting of a variety of shellfish, as can be seen on a safety map by the Washington State Department of Health. This measure, while necessary for public health, stands to potentially disrupt a shellfish industry that, as per KTLA, contributes an estimated $270 million annually to the region’s economy.
