Red Scare: How Safe Is Your Seafood

Red Scare: How Safe Is Your Seafood

Photo: Cititour.com


Type of Place: NYC Restaurants

Description:
Red Scare
How Safe Is Your Seafood?

Summer is upon us. It's usually a great time to head to the nearest raw bar for some icy cold oysters and clams on the half shell. But this year there is some tension in the air as a toxic tide wreaks havoc on the New England coast and restaurantgoers are noticeably nervous.

A recent trip to the Oyster Bar in Grand Central shows just how concerned New Yorkers are about possibly eating shellfish tainted by the red tide.

The deadly outbreak of toxic algae is infecting clams and oysters from New Hampshire to Massachusetts. Things are so bad that former presidential candidate and U.S. Senator John Kerry is seeking federal disaster assistance for the state of Massachusetts.

Back in New York, we couldn't help but notice several blank spaces on the sign at the Oyster Bar. Our waiter told us that several New England varieties of oysters had been pulled, but not all. And for now, you'll still find Long Island Bluepoints, Tomahawks from Martha's Vineyard and Pemaquids from Maine. Our waiter also assured us that any oysters sold came from uninfected waters and underwent not one, but two inspections.

But you couldn't help but notice the nervousness among customers looking to consume raw shellfish. One gentleman, after giving the waiter the third degree, took a pass on the raw bar and opted for a bowl of clam chowder. But even eating cooked shellfish is no guarantee you won't get sick.

According to the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services,
eating contaminated shellfish, whether cooked or raw, can cause a life-threatening illness. Symptoms can show up in as little as two hours and include tingling, burning, numbness, drowsiness, incoherent speech, and respiratory paralysis. In severe cases, death by respiratory arrest can occur within 24 hours of consumption.

Having thoroughly scared you, I should point out that if you do want to eat raw shellfish, and we did during our visit to the Oyster Bar, you do have options;

- First, be sure to choose a variety from safe waters. That means keeping yourself well informed. Use the internet and other media outlets to check for news on where the red tide is spreading.

- Pick restaurants like the Oyster Bar that offer an abundant selection. On our visit we were able to pick oysters from the far away shores of New Zealand, Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Washington state.

- And take extra precautions when choosing a restaurant. Pick one that has a strong reputation for reliable seafood. Places like Pearl Oyster Bar and Mary's Fish Camp come to mind. If you have any doubts or if you're waiter can't tell you where the shellfish came from, you may want to take a pass.

And if you still don't want to chance it, there's always fish 'n chips at the Chip Shop.
  - Sam Sayegh; June 13 2005

Red Scare: How Safe Is Your Seafood
NYC citywide, NY

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