One of my favorite things in the world is eating shellfish, especially
raw littleneck clams and oysters. I've heard so much about the
dangers of eating clams raw, but I see many restaurants selling them
on the menu.

I realize that there is a danger in doing anything including driving
to work, but does anyone have a realistic and rational assessment of
just how dangerous it is to eat one of my favorite foods?

Of course I'm talking about clams that are alive, closed and well
refrigerated, and don't smell bad.

Joe wrote:

One of my favorite things in the world is eating shellfish, especially
raw littleneck clams and oysters. I've heard so much about the
dangers of eating clams raw, but I see many restaurants selling them
on the menu.

I realize that there is a danger in doing anything including driving
to work, but does anyone have a realistic and rational assessment of
just how dangerous it is to eat one of my favorite foods?

There is no rational and realistic assessment. The liklihoods will
vary with where they came from, what the water was like that day and
the day before and the day before, whether a low-flying airplane
dumped fuel, who threw garbage off his boat, what medical wastes were
discarded nearby, your state of health, how clean the restaurant is,
how cleanly they were shucked, the bacteriological state of your fork...

Check out what HACCP is about. Google.

Pastorio

Of course I'm talking about clams that are alive, closed and well
refrigerated, and don't smell bad.

"Bob (this one)" wrote in message
...
Joe wrote:

One of my favorite things in the world is eating shellfish, especially
raw littleneck clams and oysters. I've heard so much about the
dangers of eating clams raw, but I see many restaurants selling them
on the menu.

I realize that there is a danger in doing anything including driving
to work, but does anyone have a realistic and rational assessment of
just how dangerous it is to eat one of my favorite foods?

There is no rational and realistic assessment. The liklihoods will
vary with where they came from, what the water was like that day and
the day before and the day before, whether a low-flying airplane
dumped fuel, who threw garbage off his boat, what medical wastes were
discarded nearby, your state of health, how clean the restaurant is,
how cleanly they were shucked, the bacteriological state of your fork...

Agreed - even when I gather my own (mussels, in this case) from a source I
know to be clean, there is no way of knowing whether one of the little
morsels is tainted in some way - it's just a matter of probabilities. In
over 20 years of eating raw shellfish, I've not yet had any nasty effects -
but the risk is part of the pleasure A bit like skydiving for the
sedentary!

Jo (seafood fan)


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Years ago, I enjoyed raw shellfish on the beach at Manzanillo, Mexico with
no ill effects. About a year later, there was a cholera epidemic in South
and Central America, reaching Mexico. The epidemic was attributed to
Peruvian ceviche.

You never know, but I did avoid the sushi bars in Mexico City.

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Louis Cohen
Living la vida loca at N37° 43' 7.9" W122° 8' 42.8"


"Bob (this one)" wrote in message
...
Joe wrote:

One of my favorite things in the world is eating shellfish, especially
raw littleneck clams and oysters. I've heard so much about the
dangers of eating clams raw, but I see many restaurants selling them
on the menu.

I realize that there is a danger in doing anything including driving
to work, but does anyone have a realistic and rational assessment of
just how dangerous it is to eat one of my favorite foods?

There is no rational and realistic assessment. The liklihoods will
vary with where they came from, what the water was like that day and
the day before and the day before, whether a low-flying airplane
dumped fuel, who threw garbage off his boat, what medical wastes were
discarded nearby, your state of health, how clean the restaurant is,
how cleanly they were shucked, the bacteriological state of your fork...

Check out what HACCP is about. Google.

Pastorio

Of course I'm talking about clams that are alive, closed and well
refrigerated, and don't smell bad.