Serious Eats
Arcachon Bay Oysters Banned Due to Health Threat
The French seafood industry just can't get a break. First a violent herpes outbreak killed an estimated 80 percent of France's baby oysters, and now authorities fearing contamination by a poisonous microalgae have banned the sale and consumption of Arcachon Bay's oysters. Oyster producers, up in arms, are threatening to sue the government for permitting the bay to become polluted, reports the Independent. But after several French beaches were invaded by poisonous algae and jellyfish this summer, scientists have suggested that a rise in water temperature due to global warming may be the culprit.
The Independent suggests an easy test for raw oysters: "If an oyster is open, tap the shell. It should close right away. If it is unresponsive and the shell stays open, throw it away since it is most likely dead."
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