UK Looking Into Health Risks of Oyster Imports

The U.K. is studying risks from imported oysters in the “hopes of mitigating” possible public health risks, including norovirus outbreaks, Keller and Heckman said in a December client alert. The country’s Office for Sanitary and Phytosanitary Trade Assurance commissioned the Foods Standards Agency to look into the matter, the firm said, adding the U.K. has identified “chemical and microbiological hazards” from imported oysters, including heavy metals, natural biotoxins, viral and bacterial pathogens and “persistent organic chemicals.” The firm said the U.K. imports about 350,000 kg of oysters annually, mostly from South Korea, France and New Zealand.