The Florida Department of Health, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and state health departments of Georgia and Alabama are investigating a Salmonella outbreak associated with the consumption of raw oysters harvested from shellfish harvesting area FL-3012 in Cedar Key, FL. 

As of the posting of the Heath Advisor by Florida Health, there have been 8 patients linked to this outbreak within Florida, Georgia and Alabama.

The Food and Drug Administration is advising consumers not to eat, and restaurants and food retailers not to sell, and to dispose of recalled wild harvest oysters from FL-3012, Cedar Key, FL, harvested between Dec. 16, 2022, and Feb. 24, 2023, because of possible Salmonella contamination.

These oysters were sold in Alabama, Florida and Georgia.

On Feb. 24, 2023, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services closed shellfish harvesting area FL-3012 for the harvest of wild oysters and initiated a recall of these wild oysters harvested from Dec. 16, 2022, to Feb. 24, 2023.

Consumers who purchased oysters after Dec. 16, 2022, should check the packaging to see if they were wild harvest oysters from FL-3012, Cedar Key, Florida

about Salmonella infection
Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile, according to the CDC.

Anyone who has eaten any recalled oysters and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis.

Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization.

Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop severe illnesses and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions.

Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others.