Environmental Health
Director: Keith Higman
Shellfish Safety
Attention
Shellfish Consumers: Check Before You Dig!
Safe Shellfish Harvesting
- Just before you leave, check for closures and advisories due to vibrio and biotoxins by using the Shellfish Safety Map, by calling the state biotoxin hotline at 1-800-562-5632, or by contacting your local health department.
- Harvest shellfish as soon as possible with the receding tide.
- Don't harvest shellfish that have been exposed to the sun for more than one hour.
- Keep shellfish on ice immediately after harvesting.
- Thoroughly cook shellfish to destroy vibrio bacteria. The internal temperature must reach 145 °F for 15 seconds.
- Cooking does not destroy biotoxins.
- If you need a refresher, here is a guide on shellfish identification and tips for preventing shellfish-related illness.
Safe Shellfish Consumption
There are a variety of other bacterial and viral illnesses caused by consuming contaminated shellfish. Proper cooking of shellfish before eating is always advised. Eat only well-cooked shellfish, especially in summer months. Do not consider shellfish to be fully cooked when the shells just open - they need to cook longer to reach 145° F. Learn more about how to handle, store, and cook shellfish properly to avoid illness here.
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| What
is Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning? |
| When
specific conditions align, including sunlight, water temperature,
and particular nutrients, a microscopic, poison-producing plankton
can reproduce very rapidly in seawater. The over-growth of this
plankton is also known as Red Tide. When shellfish feed on this
plankton, they accumulate a toxin that can cause serious illness
and even death to those who consume the shellfish. It is very important
not to consume shellfish that have been contaminated by this toxin.
Cooking shellfish does not prevent Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning.
For
more information view PSP (Paralytic Shellfish Poison) FAQS |
| Infectious
Shellfish Hazards |
| Water
contaminated with fecal matter reaching our bays and shellfish beds
can cause shellfish to harbor disease causing viruses and bacteria
such as Hepatitis A, Noro Virus, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Cooking
shellfish properly will inactivate and kill these disease causing
agents. The Health Department recommends always cooking shellfish
to at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit. |
| May through September - seasonal Vibrio bacteria advisory |
When temperatures rise in the summertime, so do bacteria levels in shellfish – most notably Vibrio parahaemolyticus. The commercial shellfish industry is aware of this and follows strict refrigeration and handling requirements during warm summer months. Recreational harvesters also need to be aware of this risk when planning a summer trip to the shore. Here are a few tips you need to know:
- Check for beach closures and advisories or call 1-800-562-5632 before you go harvesting.
- Harvest as soon as possible after the tide goes out (at the beginning of the tide cycle instead of at the end).
- Don't harvest oysters that have been exposed to direct sunlight for more than two hours.
- Place oysters under refrigeration or on ice immediately after harvest.
- Thoroughly cook your oysters: the internal temperature must reach 145°F for 15 seconds. Thorough cooking destroys vibrio bacteria (note: cooking doesn't destroy biotoxins, aka "red tide"). Barbequing oysters just until they open will not kill the bacteria. You may need to steam oysters for 4 to 9 minutes or boiling them for 3 to 5 minutes after they open to fully cook them.
- Remember cooking DOES NOT destroy biotoxins. Do not harvest when there is biotoxin risk.
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