The oyster industry: seizing a better future

摘要

Like the vibrio that causes cholera, V. vulnificus is a bacterium commonly found in estuarine waters, sediments, and raw shellfish. Although the organism poses no threat to the vast majority of people who eat raw shellfish, a few, relatively rare strains produce a severe intestinal infection that can be fatal to people who have depressed immune systems or diseases of the blood, liver, or stomach. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reports about a dozen deaths a year from vulnificus-tainted shellfish, though the number may be higher because not all states report deaths from V. vulnificus to the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, Cooking kills the vibrio, as well as other bacteria, but fearful consumers nationwide are confused about the risksand many have stopped eating even cooked shellfish. In spite of destructive environmental influences, Louisiana can still produce plenty of oysters but negative publicity about health has caused markets everywhere to decline. According to Dr. Walter Keithly, seafood economist with the LSU Coastal Fisheries Institute, reduced consumer demand for gulf oysters has caused significant price decreases, as much as 50 percent during the summer season and 30 percent during the winter.