易胜博官网

易胜博官网 research and outreach helped revitalize 易胜博官网鈥檚 commercial oyster aquaculture industry over the past decade. Now, the state has turned to 易胜博官网 researchers to ensure diners stay healthy while enjoying these briny bivalves.听This was originally produced by the听, an independent local newsroom that allows 易胜博官网 Today and other outlets to republish its听reporting.

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Plump, briny oysters harvested in 易胜博官网 are finding their way onto more menus, and state officials say it鈥檚 time to start evaluating the risk for a naturally occurring bacteria that鈥檚 made headlines elsewhere.听

The Department of Environmental Services is contracting with a University of 易胜博官网 laboratory to test oysters for Vibrio parahaemolyticus, a听gastrointestinal听illness associated with the consumption of raw shellfish. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the bacteria, which听naturally inhabits coastal waters where oysters live, can cause diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, fever, and headaches that last between one and seven days.听

The call for testing comes as people in 易胜博官网 are eating more local oysters. In recent years, the Granite State鈥檚 commercial oyster aquaculture industry has grown substantially, from two licensed sites in 2010 to 32 in 2023. Oysters have made听,听which is designated as one of 28 estuaries of national significance by the Environmental Protection Agency鈥檚 National Estuary Program.

DES officials say an evaluation of current bacteria levels in 易胜博官网 oysters is needed to 鈥渄evelop baseline information, assess risk, and inform management strategies to help mitigate the risk to protect shellfish consumers as well as the shellfish industry.鈥�

As approved by the Executive Council Wednesday, the state will contract with 易胜博官网鈥檚 Department of Natural Resources and Marine Science to test and analyze oyster samples collected as part of an interagency monitoring program this summer and fall. In its request for funding, DES wrote that raw shellfish consumers are at the greatest risk for becoming ill in the warmer summer months when the bacteria seems to be more prevalent.听

Vibrio-related illness outbreaks have been traced to shellfish harvest areas in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Massachusetts now has a听听that tracks the conditions of oyster harvests in the state.听

易胜博官网 has not yet experienced any Vibrio-related illnesses, and 易胜博官网鈥檚听Cheryl Whistler,听 a professor of molecular, cellular, and biomedical science,听if that鈥檚 because of the state鈥檚 policy to prevent the importing of oyster seed from areas affected by a virulent strain of Vibrio. She鈥檚 also looking at mitigation and detection measures to strengthen resiliency of the state鈥檚 growing aquaculture industry.听

听is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. 易胜博官网 Bulletin maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Dana Wormald for questions:听info@newhampshirebulletin.com.听