News Blog
Cookies and Shellfish Could Mean Diarrhea and Death
October 31, 2011
The Monterey County Health Department is once again warning against consuming oysters, this time in conjunction with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s warnings that some British Columbia shellfish might contain Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP).
Both oysters in the shell and shucked originating from Okeover Inlet in B.C. between Oct. 2 and 14 are the subject of the warning.
PSP is caused by saxitoxin—one of the strongest toxins known to science. The poison can become more dangerous if ingested with alcohol and respiratory paralysis can begin just 30 minutes after consumption, in extreme cases resulting in death.
And that’s not all.
If one planned on following up their oysters on the half shell Halloween meal with a dessert of Rich Fields butter cookies from Rite Aid, the gastronomic repercussions could be horrific.
Rite Aid has recalled some 85,000 12 oz. tins of cookies—adorned with a decorative castle or Christmas motif—that could be contaminated with the microorganism Bacillus cereus. Consuming the bacteria-laden biscuits may cause diarrhea, nausea and/or vomiting.
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