FDA Warnings for Maine Lobster

MountainEGGer

FYI, I assure you this is reliable, it cameout on Friday 8/1/08:

1. Please be advised that on July 18, 2008, The State of Maine issued an advisory warning regarding the American Lobster and the confirmation/presence of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) oocysts in the tomalley (green gland-liver) of the lobster. The PSP was found only in the tomalley not the lobster meat itself. Paralytic shellfish poisoning is a marine biotoxin that cannot be cooked out and can cause serious illness or death if consumed in high concentrations. As you may be aware, Maine is experiencing difficulty with the restriction of harvesting all shellstock due to a red algae tide.

The recent press release that the FDA issued on July 28, 2008 is warning consumers about all lobsters, even if not harvested from the affected areas in Maine. The American Lobster is harvested here in the Northeast from Maine down to South Carolina, usually on the continental shelf of the ocean.

Local health departments are encouraged to distribute this advisory to the restaurants and markets, in their respective jurisdictions, that serve and sell whole lobster from the Northeast. It is noted that lobster is also imported from Ecuador, Brazil, as well as other countries. Restaurants carrying these (typically frozen) products or just tails are not affected by this advisory.

If you have any questions, kindly contact Cali Alexander NJDHSS Seafood/Shellfish Coordinator - Food and Drug Safety Program at 609-588-3123 or at calliope.alexander@doh.state.nj.us

For more information - please visit the following weblinks:

FDA:
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01866.html

MAINE:
http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/boh/maine_cdc_red_tide_information.htm

Mainegg

It is for the tomalley, to not eat that only the thick green mass found up in the shell of the body. If you read the whole thing it is not as scary as it sounds. 7 cases in 30 years and 4 of them was a family that found a rope with mussels attached to it and ate them. they had been drifting in Red tide. The biggest concern is shellfish, clams, mussels and such as the can be more free floating on the tides if they have attached them selfs to a rope or old wood and such. the red tide is a big danger to them. Most people do not eat the tomalley anyways and the warning also says that if you are buying from a licensed dealer that is not hauling in a closed area you are fine. buying of the boat is not a good thing right now if you know the areas around you are closed.We have not even heard anything about this till I saw this post. but as stated if you don't eat the tommaley you are fine. :cheer:

Sundown

These lobstermen are taking a beating as it is. Too bad this happened. I won't stop eating lobster meat any time soon and maybe some day I'll be able to eat the tomalley again.

Haggis

"Most people do not eat the tomalley anyways"

But an awful lot of folks do. In fact my wife will eat everything but the shell and she sucks that dry as well. She prefers the head to the tail and is always willing to trade with others at the table.

low tech redneck

I think that if you listen to these people you will starve to death.The sky is not falling.
Just my .02
Jim

Rascal

Funny, I just called Narragansett Bay Lobsters in Galilee, RI this morning to check on their prices. $8.99/# for a 3 pounder. Hate to hear about the tamale warning. I love the stuff!

fishlessman

do you know anyone to actually get sick from red tide. ive eaten clams from closed sites all my life and most of the older locals did as well down in biddeford. posted red tide or not posted, we ate buschels of them every summer, ive never seen someone get sick. weve got a beach house there thats been in the family for nearly 60 years and it pisses me off that you have to sneak around the flats for clams, someone buoght the rights there, but the flat has never been harvested in my whole life.