June 15, 2012

FDA calls for exclusion of Korean seafood products

The US Food and Drug Administration has called for the exclusion of Korean oysters, clams, mussels and some scallops from the market, with concerns over possible exposure to human fecal waste and contaminated with norovirus.

The FDA said the products span the range of fresh, canned and processed seafood, including whole and molluscan shellfish, including whole and roe-on scallops.

"These products and any products made with them may have been exposed to human fecal waste and are potentially contaminated with norovirus," the US regulatory agency said in a statement.

The FDA issued initial notifications about molluscan shellfish on May 1, prompting some food companies to remove Korean seafood products from their distribution systems. But the agency said other companies have yet to take action.

Officials at the South Korean embassy in Washington had no immediate comment on the FDA announcement.