FDA warns consumers not to eat certain oysters from Connecticut over potential sewage contamination

Oysters harvested in Connecticut and distributed to restaurants and stores across five states could be contaminated by sewage, the Food and Drug Administration warned this week.

As a result, the FDA urged consumers not to eat oysters harvested in the Groton and Stonington areas of Connecticut and sold in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia. The oysters in question could also have been distributed beyond these states.

The potentially affected oysters were harvested between August 28 - 30, according to the FDA, and came from dealers CT-393-SS, AQ, CT-004-SS, AQ, and CT-020-SS, AQ. The affected lots numbers are L-30 and L-26B1.

The FDA is asking restaurants and food retailers not to serve and to dispose of oysters that could be contaminated. 

Connecticut Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Aquaculture on August 30 issued a recall of the oysters "due to poor sample results." 

The FDA subsequently put out its notice. 

Consuming contaminated raw oysters can cause illness, and contaminated food can sometimes look, smell and taste normal.

The FDA urged anyone with symptoms of food poisoning, including diarrhea, stomach pain or cramps, nausea, vomiting and fever, to contact their health care provider. 

The source of contamination has not been identified. 

The state-approved harvest areas are temporary closed, and no product remains on the market, according to the Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg).

"The precautionary closure was enacted in an abundance of caution following routine water and shellfish monitoring which produced results outside the normal parameters of the area to protect public health and the integrity of the Connecticut shellfish program and industry," the CT DoAg said in a statement. It "is working with the shellfish industry, impacted towns, local health departments, and sewer departments to determine the potential source of contamination."

There have not been any illnesses associated with the recall.