Washington -
Louisiana lawmakers Tuesday threatened budget consequences for the Food and Drug Administration if the agency doesn't back off a plan to ban Gulf Coast oysters harvested during warm weather that are not treated with anti-bacteria technology.
Industry advocates said that the FDA's plan would imperil 3,500 Gulf Coast oystering jobs by imposing heavy costs for the technology and that the 15 deaths annually attributed to eating untreated raw oysters are not unreasonable considering the volume eaten and the warnings given to consumers.
"What we seek here is reasonableness," said Louisiana Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu. "A rule like this could have devastating effects. We stand united to oppose it."
Landrieu and other lawmakers spoke at a press conference following a meeting with FDA principal deputy commissioner Joshua Sharfstein and other agency officials, including food safety advisor Michael Taylor.
Taylor said Gulf oystermen are trying to back out of a nearly decade-old agreement to switch to widespread anti-bacteria treatments if an education campaign did not succeed in lowering deaths and illness from the bacteria, Vibrio vulnificus, by 60 percent. The number of cases has not declined significantly during the past decade, Taylor said.
The FDA treatment requirement would take effect in 2011 and apply to oysters harvested between April and October and intended for raw consumption. That's about 13 percent of the annual U.S. oyster harvest, the agency estimates.
About 15 percent of the warm weather harvest intended for the raw market already is treated to kill the bacteria. The state of California banned the sale of untreated raw Gulf oysters in 2003, after recording 40 deaths linked to Vibrio vulnificus between 1991 and 2001. The state has had no fatalities from the bacteria since the ban went into effect, Taylor said. Oystermen say treating the mollusks will triple their cost and ruin their taste.
Both Republican Louisiana Sen. David Vitter and Louisiana Democratic Rep. Charles Melancon, who are running against each other for Vitter's senate seat, suggested pressuring the FDA through Congress' control of purse strings. Vitter, who is co-sponsor of a bill to deny funding for the FDA anti-bacteria initiative, vowed to take unspecified action "on FDA funding issues in general" if his legislation fails.
Melancon said Congress should consider redirecting FDA funding to increase inspections of foreign shipments of crawfish and catfish -- products that compete with Louisiana aquaculture which, he complained, "they're not concerning themselves with."
Lawmakers also plan to appeal the FDA's proposal to the White House.
Melancon downplayed the harm caused by Vibrio vulnificus.
"Divide 15 deaths by 50 states It's de minimis, it's minuscule," said Melancon. "I think 15 is a pretty reasonable number."
The bacteria tends to sicken people with diseases such as cancer, diabetes or AIDS.
Industry supporters said that oyster packaging contains an advisory warning people with chronic illness against eating raw oysters.
Taylor said that's not good enough because some people don't know they have a chronic disease and are thus vulnerable.
Industry advocates said that the FDA's plan would imperil 3,500 Gulf Coast oystering jobs by imposing heavy costs for the technology and that the 15 deaths annually attributed to eating untreated raw oysters are not unreasonable considering the volume eaten and the warnings given to consumers.
"What we seek here is reasonableness," said Louisiana Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu. "A rule like this could have devastating effects. We stand united to oppose it."
Landrieu and other lawmakers spoke at a press conference following a meeting with FDA principal deputy commissioner Joshua Sharfstein and other agency officials, including food safety advisor Michael Taylor.
Taylor said Gulf oystermen are trying to back out of a nearly decade-old agreement to switch to widespread anti-bacteria treatments if an education campaign did not succeed in lowering deaths and illness from the bacteria, Vibrio vulnificus, by 60 percent. The number of cases has not declined significantly during the past decade, Taylor said.
The FDA treatment requirement would take effect in 2011 and apply to oysters harvested between April and October and intended for raw consumption. That's about 13 percent of the annual U.S. oyster harvest, the agency estimates.
About 15 percent of the warm weather harvest intended for the raw market already is treated to kill the bacteria. The state of California banned the sale of untreated raw Gulf oysters in 2003, after recording 40 deaths linked to Vibrio vulnificus between 1991 and 2001. The state has had no fatalities from the bacteria since the ban went into effect, Taylor said. Oystermen say treating the mollusks will triple their cost and ruin their taste.
Both Republican Louisiana Sen. David Vitter and Louisiana Democratic Rep. Charles Melancon, who are running against each other for Vitter's senate seat, suggested pressuring the FDA through Congress' control of purse strings. Vitter, who is co-sponsor of a bill to deny funding for the FDA anti-bacteria initiative, vowed to take unspecified action "on FDA funding issues in general" if his legislation fails.
Melancon said Congress should consider redirecting FDA funding to increase inspections of foreign shipments of crawfish and catfish -- products that compete with Louisiana aquaculture which, he complained, "they're not concerning themselves with."
Lawmakers also plan to appeal the FDA's proposal to the White House.
Melancon downplayed the harm caused by Vibrio vulnificus.
"Divide 15 deaths by 50 states It's de minimis, it's minuscule," said Melancon. "I think 15 is a pretty reasonable number."
The bacteria tends to sicken people with diseases such as cancer, diabetes or AIDS.
Industry supporters said that oyster packaging contains an advisory warning people with chronic illness against eating raw oysters.
Taylor said that's not good enough because some people don't know they have a chronic disease and are thus vulnerable.
