September 07, 2023
Oysters harvested in Connecticut and sold to distributors in five states, including Pennsylvania, may be contaminated, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned.
Testing suggests oysters harvested in a location known as the Groton Approved area from Aug. 28 to Aug. 30 may be contaminated, the FDA said. The agency did not identify the type of contamination, but said the area will remain closed until the source is determined.
A recall issued by Connecticut's agriculture department covers seafood distributors in Massachusetts, Maryland, New York, Connecticut and Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia-based Samuels and Son is the only Pennsylvania-based distributor listed on the recall notice.
Restaurants and food retailers that purchased raw oysters from Samuels or any of the other nine seafood distributors named in the advisory are urged not to serve or sell oysters that may have been impacted by the potential contamination.
Consumers are advised to avoid eating oysters harvested from the impacted area. Contaminated oysters may look, smell and taste normal, but they can cause illnesses – especially when eaten raw, the FDA said. Anyone who eats oysters and experiences diarrhea, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting or fever is advised to contact a doctor.
Headquartered in South Philly, Samuels and Son is a major distributor of fresh seafood in the Philadelphia region. The business was started in 1989 by Samuel D’Angelo, the grandson of Ippolito’s seafood market founder Guissepe Ippolito.
Samuels and Son distributes fish and other seafood to a wide range of restaurants in the Philadelphia region, including city restaurants like D'Angelo's Ristorante Italianio, Villa Di Roma, Caribbean Café, Johnny Brenda's and Standard Tap. The company also sells seafood to Clam Tavern in Delaware County and The Yardley Inn in Bucks County.
