UK Oyster Risk Profile Hazards

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FSA Assesses Oyster Import Risks

by: Food and Drug Law at Keller and Heckman of Keller and Heckman LLP - The Daily Intake

Thursday, December 21, 2023

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The UK Office for Sanitary and Phytosanitary Trade Assurance commissioned the Foods Standards Agency (FSA) to profile the potential risks of importing oysters into the United Kingdom in the hopes of mitigating possible issues. The study comes after FSA assessed the public health risk of raw oysters earlier this year to help develop risk management options during norovirus outbreaks.
Chemical and microbiological hazards were identified, which include heavy metals, natural biotoxins, viral and bacterial pathogens, and persistent organic chemicals. Allergens and physical hazards were excluded.
The UK currently imports approximately 350,000 kilograms of oysters per year. The main exporters to the UK include South Korea, France, and New Zealand. Although consumption surveys indicate that the general population rarely eats oysters, oysters are considered a high risk product. This is largely due to their filter feeding, which allows bioaccumulation of hazards and likelihood for raw consumption.
The main hazards identified in the supply chain were Vibrio parahaemolyticus; marine biotoxins (such as amnesic, paralytic, and lipophilic toxins); hepatitis A virus (HAV), norovirus and Salmonella; heavy metals like cadmium mercury and lead; and diseases caused by other Vibrio species.
Control measures at different stages of the supply chain will vary with hazard type. Control measures during harvest can include suspension of activity, transfer of live animals to cleaner sites, or altering onward processing requirements. During processing, purification can be achieved through re-immersion in clean water. At the consumption phase, there are various options to help reduce risk: labeling and traceability, education of workers on cold chain breaches and contamination, and advice on avoiding raw products by vulnerable groups.